Calculate distances, travel times, and relativistic effects for interstellar journeys.
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Calculation Results
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About this calculator
Quick Reference
DistanceIn light-years
vVelocity as fraction of c
γ (Gamma)1 / √(1 - v²/c²)
Earth TimeDistance / Velocity
Overview
Interstellar space travel is constrained by the vast distances between stars and the cosmic speed limit—the speed of light (c). At high speeds, Einstein's Theory of Special Relativity predicts that time will slow down for the travelers.
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Pro Tips
1 Light Year (ly) ≈ 9.46 trillion kilometers.
c = speed of light ≈ 299,792,458 m/s.
As velocity approaches c, 'proper time' (time for the traveler) decreases relative to Earth time.
Gamma (γ) is the Lorentz factor, determining the intensity of time dilation.
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Fun Facts
"The nearest star system, Proxima Centauri, is about 4.24 light-years away."
"If you could travel at 99.9% of the speed of light, a trip to Proxima Centauri would take over 4 years according to Earth, but only about 2 months for you!"
"Voyager 1, the fastest human-made object leaving the solar system, travels at only 0.0057% of the speed of light."
