How Long Would It Take to Travel to Ross 248?

Ross 248 is a red dwarf star 10.3 light-years away in the constellation Andromeda. In about 36,000 years, it will become the closest star to the Sun, passing within 3.02 light-years.

Distance 10.3 light-years
Star Type Red dwarf (M5.5Ve)
Constellation Andromeda
Apparent Magnitude 12.29

How Far Is Ross 248 from Earth?

Ross 248 is 10.3 light-years from Earth. That is about 97.4 trillion km (60.5 trillion miles), or 651,400 astronomical units.

Distance to Ross 248 in different units
Unit Distance
Light-years10.3
Kilometers97,400,000,000,000 km
Miles60,500,000,000,000 miles
Astronomical units (AU)651,000 astronomical units
Parsecs3.16

Light from Ross 248 takes 10.3 years to reach Earth, so the light you see tonight left Ross 248 10.3 years ago.

Voyager 1, the fastest object humans have sent into deep space, travels at about 17 km/s. It would need about 181,600 years to cover this distance.

Time Dilation Formula Calculator

Spacecraft accelerates continuously throughout the journey. Realistic for ion drives or theoretical propulsion.

Distance to Ross 248
Speed vs Time
This chart shows how quickly you accelerate to a fraction of the speed of light over time.
Distance vs Time
Shows distance covered (in light-years) over time.
Traveler's vs Observer's Time
Shows how time experienced by the traveler differs from time on Earth.
Energy Requirement vs Distance
Shows the (simplified) energy requirements for maintaining relativistic travel as distance increases.
Doppler Shift vs Time
Shows how the Doppler effect changes observed wavelengths over time.
Velocity vs Distance
Shows how your speed changes as you travel further from your starting point.
Lorentz Factor vs Time
Shows how the Lorentz factor (γ) grows over time as relativistic effects increase.
Proper vs Observer Distance
Shows how distance measurements differ between the traveler's frame and the observer's frame.

Facts About Ross 248

Notable For: Will become the closest star to the Sun in about 36,000 years

Frequently Asked Questions

How long to travel to Ross 248?

At light speed, it would take 10.3 years to reach Ross 248. However, since Ross 248 is approaching us, this distance is decreasing over time.

When will Ross 248 become the closest star?

Ross 248 will become the closest star to our Sun in approximately 36,000 years, passing within 3.02 light-years. It will hold this position for about 9,000 years.

How far away is Ross 248?

Ross 248 is 10.3 light-years from Earth, which is about 97.4 trillion km or 60.5 trillion miles. Light from Ross 248 takes 10.3 years to reach us.

How many light-years is Ross 248 from Earth?

Ross 248 is 10.3 light-years from Earth. One light-year is about 9.46 trillion km, the distance light travels in one year. In parsecs, Ross 248 is about 3.16 parsecs away.

Explore Similar Destinations

Groombridge 34 11.62 light-years Andromeda Galaxy 2537000 light-years Epsilon Eridani 10.5 light-years Lacaille 9352 10.74 light-years

How to Use This Calculator

This time dilation calculator lets you enter a distance in light-years and acceleration in m/s² to see how time dilation affects your journey. It shows differences between traveler and observer times, maximum velocity, energy requirements, Doppler shift, Lorentz factor, and how distances vary between reference frames. Charts appear after you calculate.

Results

  • Traveler's Time: How much time the person on the spaceship experiences
  • Observer's Time: How much time passes on Earth during the journey
  • Maximum Velocity: The highest speed reached, as a fraction of light speed

Interactive Charts

  • Speed vs Time: How quickly you accelerate towards light speed
  • Distance vs Time: How far you've traveled over time
  • Traveler's vs Observer's Time: Compare time passage between Earth and spaceship
  • Energy Requirement vs Distance: How much energy is needed as you travel further
  • Doppler Shift vs Time: How light wavelengths change during your journey
  • Velocity vs Distance: Your speed at different distances
  • Lorentz Factor vs Time: How much time dilation increases with speed
  • Proper vs Observer Distance: How distance measurements differ between frames

What is Time Dilation?

Time dilation is an effect from Einstein's theory of special relativity. The faster you move, the slower time passes for you compared to someone standing still. At 90% of light speed, time passes about 2.3 times slower for the traveler than for someone on Earth.

What is the Time Dilation Formula?

The Time Dilation Formula is:

t' = t / √(1 - v²/c²)

Where:
t' = time measured by the observer (on Earth)
t = time experienced by the traveler
v = velocity of the traveler
c = speed of light (299,792,458 meters per second)