Light takes approximately 12 minutes and 40 seconds to travel from the Sun to Mars. This duration can vary slightly depending on the positions of the Sun and Mars in their respective orbits.
The average distance between the Sun and Mars is about 228 million kilometers (142 million miles). Since light travels at a speed of roughly 299,792 kilometers per second (186,282 miles per second), the time it takes for light to cover this distance can be calculated using the formula:
Time = Distance / Speed
Using the average distance and the speed of light, the calculation is as follows:
Time = 228,000,000 km / 299,792 km/s ≈ 760 seconds
This translates to approximately 12 minutes and 40 seconds.
It’s fascinating to think that the sunlight we see on Mars today left the Sun about 12 minutes and 40 seconds ago. This delay is a reminder of the vast distances in our solar system and the finite speed of light.