How long does it take for us to see the light of a star

Light from stars takes varying amounts of time to reach Earth, depending on their distance. The Sun’s light arrives in minutes, while light from distant galaxies can take millions or billions of years, because light travels at a finite speed. A star 4 light-years away, like Proxima Centauri, sends light that takes 4 years to reach us, so we see it as it was 4 years ago. When you look at the night sky, you’re looking back in time. Because light travels across vast distances slowly, we see stars as they existed in the past, not as they are now, and many distant stars may have already died before their light reaches us.

Materials and technique: cotton fabrics, cotton batting, poly thread, embroidery thread, printmaking inks. Monoprint on fabric, machine quilted, hand embroidered.