[neilep (OP)]

Ok...err Hi Everyone....

PLEASE tell me if I've completely got his screwed up but as I unbderstand it we see the Sun approx as it was 8 minutes ago, because that's how long it takes the light to reach us yes ?..good...ok...here's my long winded question...it takes the light from the moon about 1.3 seconds to reach us...BUT isn't that light from the moon first travelling from the sun before being reflected to us ? it is the SUN that lights the moon yes ?.....and I've already thought that it could be Earth light...but that too has come from the SUN......and does this also apply to all the planets in our solar system ?...surely we are seeing them them at the time the light has reached them from the sun PLUS the time it's taken for the light to be reflected back to us.

thanks for your help on this one

'Men are the same as women...just inside out !'

[neilep (OP)]

....sorry...just to summarize that with respect to the moon, we see it as it was not 1.3 seconds agao but 8 minutes plus 1.3 seconds ago....yes ?

thanks

'Men are the same as women...just inside out !'

[DrN]

surely we see the moon as it was 1.3 seconds ago, bacause the light from the sun isn't actually shining on the moon for the 8 minutes that it takes to get there? beyond that attempt, I'm confused already!

[neilep (OP)]

yep...i'm confused too !!...cos the light that is reflected by the moon has been in transit for 8 minutes before it hits the moons surface....oh...arrrrrrrrrgfhhhhhhhhhh !!!!..*pulls out hair and slaps himslf, drops to floor in a bewildered mess*...err...say you were standing on the moon, then if you were to look at the sun , the light has taken eight minutes, well, surely it's THAT light that is then reflected on to Earth.............

GSMOLLIN.........TWEENER.......HEEEEEEELLLLLPPPPPP !!!!!!!!!

'Men are the same as women...just inside out !'

[neilep (OP)]

Lindsay....I think you're right....the penny may have dropped and I think I understand what you mean...the fact that the light has been in transit for 8mins doesn't mean that the relfected image of the moon is 8 minutes old too.....DOH !!!!..I am such a dufus head !!

'Men are the same as women...just inside out !'

[neilep (OP)]

ok...sorry for the multiple postings....just had a major reality check thanks to Lindsay...cos of course...the light I'm seeing now reflected off my hand for example is the same light that has taken 8 minutes to from the sun....of course it's silly to think I'm seeing myself as I was eight minutes ago and based on this 'eureka' moment I lay this silly topic to rest.....but, you can kinda see where i was originally coming from eh ?

'Men are the same as women...just inside out !'

[tweener]

Sounds like you got a handle on it Neil!

----
John - The Eternal Pessimist.