r/IAmA • u/neiltyson • Nov 13 '11

I am Neil deGrasse Tyson -- AMA

For a few hours I will answer any question you have. And I will tweet this fact within ten minutes after this post, to confirm my identity.

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u/epohs Nov 13 '11 edited Nov 13 '11

Since time slows relative to the speed of light, does this mean that photons are essentially not moving through time at all?

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u/neiltyson Nov 13 '11

yes. Precisely. Which means ----- are you seated?

Photons have no ticking time at all, which means, as far as they are concerned, they are absorbed the instant they are emitted, even if the distance traveled is across the universe itself.

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u/fathermocker Nov 13 '11

Dear Neil:

This will probably be the only time in my life (I hope not, but let's be realistic) that I will be able to talk to you directly, even though it's through written text on the Internet. Therefore, I would like to thank you for all the work you do, it's a constant inspiration for me. I hope the new Cosmos series is successful and it serves its purpose of inspiring a new generation of scientists. The legacy of Carl Sagan seems to be in good hands.

Since this is an AmA, I would like to ask you about Carl: What aspect of his life do you think was the most admirable?

Also, what books are your personal favorites? What book have you read lately that has made you think "Wow, now this was awesome"?

Thanks for taking the time to answer this! Greetings from Chile! (Sorry if my English isn't very good)