This tool tells you when light emitted from the nearest stars on a given date will reach Earth. You can enter your birthday to see when the light arrives that was emitted when you were born. Some traditional meanings and associations with the various stars are listed.

You can also use this to determine when light will reach any given star when emitted on a given date. If you happen to be wishing on a star, and you enter the date you make the wish, the dates shown are when the star would receive it, assuming that wishes travel at the speed of light, or the date that the response would arrive, assuming that responses to wishes travel at the speed of light and that stars respond quickly to wishes.

Additionally, if you know of any particular television episode that would offend aliens, you can enter the date of the broadcast and see when it will reach each star system they might inhabit.

Note that some star distances are rather approximate. By displaying the month I have implied an accuracy of 1/10 of a light year for star distances. For distant stars, however, the measurements are less accurate. Please allow more leeway as the distance increases.

Enjoy,

Mark