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Speed of Light Calculator

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With this speed of light calculator, we aim to help you calculate the distance light can travel in a fixed time . As the speed of light is the fastest speed in the universe, it would be fascinating to know just how far it can travel in a short amount of time.

We have written this article to help you understand what the speed of light is , how fast the speed of light is , and how to calculate the speed of light . We will also demonstrate some examples to help you understand the computation of the speed of light.

What is the speed of light? How fast is the speed of light?

The speed of light is scientifically proven to be the universe's maximum speed. This means no matter how hard you try, you can never exceed this speed in this universe. Hence, there are also some theories on getting into another universe by breaking this limit. You can understand this more using our speed calculator and distance calculator .

So, how fast is the speed of light? The speed of light is 299,792,458 m/s in a vacuum. The speed of light in mph is 670,616,629 mph . With this speed, one can go around the globe more than 400,000 times in a minute!

One thing to note is that the speed of light slows down when it goes through different mediums. Light travels faster in air than in water, for instance. This phenomenon causes the refraction of light.

Now, let's look at how to calculate the speed of light.

How to calculate the speed of light?

As the speed of light is constant, calculating the speed of light usually falls on calculating the distance that light can travel in a certain time period. Hence, let's have a look at the following example:

• Source: Light
• Speed of light: 299,792,458 m/s
• Time traveled: 100 seconds

You can perform the calculation in three steps:

Determine the speed of light.

As mentioned, the speed of light is the fastest speed in the universe, and it is always a constant in a vacuum. Hence, the speed of light is 299,792,458 m/s .

Determine the time that the light has traveled.

The next step is to know how much time the light has traveled. Unlike looking at the speed of a sports car or a train, the speed of light is extremely fast, so the time interval that we look at is usually measured in seconds instead of minutes and hours. You can use our time lapse calculator to help you with this calculation.

For this example, the time that the light has traveled is 100 seconds .

Calculate the distance that the light has traveled.

The final step is to calculate the total distance that the light has traveled within the time . You can calculate this answer using the speed of light formula:

distance = speed of light × time

Thus, the distance that the light can travel in 100 seconds is 299,792,458 m/s × 100 seconds = 29,979,245,800 m

What is the speed of light in mph when it is in a vacuum?

The speed of light in a vacuum is 670,616,629 mph . This is equivalent to 299,792,458 m/s or 1,079,252,849 km/h. This is the fastest speed in the universe.

Is the speed of light always constant?

Yes , the speed of light is always constant for a given medium. The speed of light changes when going through different mediums. For example, light travels slower in water than in air.

How can I calculate the speed of light?

You can calculate the speed of light in three steps:

Determine the distance the light has traveled.

Apply the speed of light formula :

speed of light = distance / time

How far can the speed of light travel in 1 minute?

Light can travel 17,987,547,480 m in 1 minute . This means that light can travel around the earth more than 448 times in a minute.

Speed of light

The speed of light in the medium. In a vacuum, the speed of light is 299,792,458 m/s.

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What is the speed of light? Here’s the history, discovery of the cosmic speed limit

On one hand, the speed of light is just a number: 299,792,458 meters per second. And on the other, it’s one of the most important constants that appears in nature and defines the relationship of causality itself.

As far as we can measure, it is a constant. It is the same speed for every observer in the entire universe. This constancy was first established in the late 1800’s with the experiments of Albert Michelson and Edward Morley at Case Western Reserve University . They attempted to measure changes in the speed of light as the Earth orbited around the Sun. They found no such variation, and no experiment ever since then has either.

Observations of the cosmic microwave background, the light released when the universe was 380,000 years old, show that the speed of light hasn’t measurably changed in over 13.8 billion years.

In fact, we now define the speed of light to be a constant, with a precise speed of 299,792,458 meters per second. While it remains a remote possibility in deeply theoretical physics that light may not be a constant, for all known purposes it is a constant, so it’s better to just define it and move on with life.

How was the speed of light first measured?

In 1676 the Danish astronomer Ole Christensen Romer made the first quantitative measurement of how fast light travels. He carefully observed the orbit of Io, the innermost moon of Jupiter. As the Earth circles the Sun in its own orbit, sometimes it approaches Jupiter and sometimes it recedes away from it. When the Earth is approaching Jupiter, the path that light has to travel from Io is shorter than when the Earth is receding away from Jupiter. By carefully measuring the changes to Io’s orbital period, Romer calculated a speed of light of around 220,000 kilometers per second.

Observations continued to improve until by the 19 th century astronomers and physicists had developed the sophistication to get very close to the modern value. In 1865, James Clerk Maxwell made a remarkable discovery. He was investigating the properties of electricity and magnetism, which for decades had remained mysterious in unconnected laboratory experiments around the world. Maxwell found that electricity and magnetism were really two sides of the same coin, both manifestations of a single electromagnetic force.

As Maxwell explored the consequences of his new theory, he found that changing magnetic fields can lead to changing electric fields, which then lead to a new round of changing magnetic fields. The fields leapfrog over each other and can even travel through empty space. When Maxwell went to calculate the speed of these electromagnetic waves, he was surprised to see the speed of light pop out – the first theoretical calculation of this important number.

What is the most precise measurement of the speed of light?

Because it is defined to be a constant, there’s no need to measure it further. The number we’ve defined is it, with no uncertainty, no error bars. It’s done. But the speed of light is just that – a speed. The number we choose to represent it depends on the units we use: kilometers versus miles, seconds versus hours, and so on. In fact, physicists commonly just set the speed of light to be 1 to make their calculations easier. So instead of trying to measure the speed light travels, physicists turn to more precisely measuring other units, like the length of the meter or the duration of the second. In other words, the defined value of the speed of light is used to establish the length of other units like the meter.

How does light slow down?

Yes, the speed of light is always a constant. But it slows down whenever it travels through a medium like air or water. How does this work? There are a few different ways to present an answer to this question, depending on whether you prefer a particle-like picture or a wave-like picture.

In a particle-like picture, light is made of tiny little bullets called photons. All those photons always travel at the speed of light, but as light passes through a medium those photons get all tangled up, bouncing around among all the molecules of the medium. This slows down the overall propagation of light, because it takes more time for the group of photons to make it through.

In a wave-like picture, light is made of electromagnetic waves. When these waves pass through a medium, they get all the charged particles in motion, which in turn generate new electromagnetic waves of their own. These interfere with the original light, forcing it to slow down as it passes through.

Either way, light always travels at the same speed, but matter can interfere with its travel, making it slow down.

Why is the speed of light important?

The speed of light is important because it’s about way more than, well, the speed of light. In the early 1900’s Einstein realized just how special this speed is. The old physics, dominated by the work of Isaac Newton, said that the universe had a fixed reference frame from which we could measure all motion. This is why Michelson and Morley went looking for changes in the speed, because it should change depending on our point of view. But their experiments showed that the speed was always constant, so what gives?

Einstein decided to take this experiment at face value. He assumed that the speed of light is a true, fundamental constant. No matter where you are, no matter how fast you’re moving, you’ll always see the same speed.

This is wild to think about. If you’re traveling at 99% the speed of light and turn on a flashlight, the beam will race ahead of you at…exactly the speed of light, no more, no less. If you’re coming from the opposite direction, you’ll still also measure the exact same speed.

This constancy forms the basis of Einstein’s special theory of relativity, which tells us that while all motion is relative – different observers won’t always agree on the length of measurements or the duration of events – some things are truly universal, like the speed of light.

Can you go faster than light speed?

Nope. Nothing can. Any particle with zero mass must travel at light speed. But anything with mass (which is most of the universe) cannot. The problem is relativity. The faster you go, the more energy you have. But we know from Einstein’s relativity that energy and mass are the same thing. So the more energy you have, the more mass you have, which makes it harder for you to go even faster. You can get as close as you want to the speed of light, but to actually crack that barrier takes an infinite amount of energy. So don’t even try.

How is the speed at which light travels related to causality?

If you think you can find a cheat to get around the limitations of light speed, then I need to tell you about its role in special relativity. You see, it’s not just about light. It just so happens that light travels at this special speed, and it was the first thing we discovered to travel at this speed. So it could have had another name. Indeed, a better name for this speed might be “the speed of time.”

Related: Is time travel possible? An astrophysicist explains

We live in a universe of causes and effects. All effects are preceded by a cause, and all causes lead to effects. The speed of light limits how quickly causes can lead to effects. Because it’s a maximum speed limit for any motion or interaction, in a given amount of time there’s a limit to what I can influence. If I want to tap you on the shoulder and you’re right next to me, I can do it right away. But if you’re on the other side of the planet, I have to travel there first. The motion of me traveling to you is limited by the speed of light, so that sets how quickly I can tap you on the shoulder – the speed light travels dictates how quickly a single cause can create an effect.

The ability to go faster than light would allow effects to happen before their causes. In essence, time travel into the past would be possible with faster-than-light travel. Since we view time as the unbroken chain of causes and effects going from the past to the future, breaking the speed of light would break causality, which would seriously undermine our sense of the forward motion of time.

Why does light travel at this speed?

No clue. It appears to us as a fundamental constant of nature. We have no theory of physics that explains its existence or why it has the value that it does. We hope that a future understanding of nature will provide this explanation, but right now all investigations are purely theoretical. For now, we just have to take it as a given.

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299,792,458 meters per second

one second equals 10 9 nanoseconds.

(299,792,458 m s¯ 1 ) x (1 s/10 9 ns) 0.299792458 meters per nanosecond

(0.299792458 m ns¯ 1 ) x (39.37 in m¯ 1 ) = 11.8 inches per nanosecond

The Distance Light Traveled calculator computes the distance ( D ) based on the duration of travel ( t ) and the Speed of Light .

INSTRUCTIONS:  Choose the preferred units and enter the following:

• ( t )   Duration of Travel
• ( v )  Travel Velocity (speed traveled with a default of 1 c,  the speed of light )

Distance Traveled (D):  The calculator returns the distance ( D ) in astronomical units or light years.  However, this can be automatically converted to other distance units via the pull-down menu.

The Math / Science

The formula for the distance that light has traveled  is:

• D is the distance that light has traveled
• t is the time it has traveled
• v is the speed of light .

Astronomy Distance Units

Astronomical Unit (au): Within our solar system, a common measure of distance is au , which stands for  astronomical units .  A single astronomical unit is the mean distance from the Sun's center to the center of the Earth . The following picture is NOT to scale.

Light Travel in Time:  Light is a primary observable when studying celestial bodies.  For this reason, the distance to these objects are measured in the amount of time it would take light to travel from there to the Earth.  We can say that an object is one light-year away, and that means that the object is at a distance where it took an entire year for light from the object to travel to Earth.  Since the  speed of light is 299,792,458.0 meters per second, one can compute the distance equal to a light year as follows:

1 light year = 299,792,458.0 (meters / second) x 31,536,000 (seconds / year) = 9,460,528,405,000,000 meters

The same exercise can be used for light traveling shorter periods of times, light seconds , light minutes , light hours and light days .  Since even these units are not enough when computing distances across the universe, there is also a light relative distance of  kilo-light years ( 1000 light years ), or the distance light travels in a thousand years!

Angle Shift Seen from Earth : Because the Earth goes around the Sun, our observation of distant objects such as stars results in an angular shift when observed at opposite sides of the elliptical orbit.  This shift is used as the basis of a unit knows as a parsec .  A parsec was traditionally defined as the distance where one astronomical unit subtends an angle of one arcsecond.  A parsec was redefined in 2015 to 648000/π  astronomical units .  Proxima Centauri, is the nearest star to the Sun and is approximately 1.3 parsecs (4.2 light-years) from the Sun. A mega-parsec  is a million parsecs .

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What is the speed of light?

The speed of light is the speed limit of the universe. Or is it?

What is a light-year?

• Speed of light FAQs
• Special relativity
• Faster than light
• Slowing down light
• Faster-than-light travel

Bibliography

The speed of light traveling through a vacuum is exactly 299,792,458 meters (983,571,056 feet) per second. That's about 186,282 miles per second — a universal constant known in equations as "c," or light speed. 

According to physicist Albert Einstein 's theory of special relativity , on which much of modern physics is based, nothing in the universe can travel faster than light. The theory states that as matter approaches the speed of light, the matter's mass becomes infinite. That means the speed of light functions as a speed limit on the whole universe . The speed of light is so immutable that, according to the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology , it is used to define international standard measurements like the meter (and by extension, the mile, the foot and the inch). Through some crafty equations, it also helps define the kilogram and the temperature unit Kelvin .

But despite the speed of light's reputation as a universal constant, scientists and science fiction writers alike spend time contemplating faster-than-light travel. So far no one's been able to demonstrate a real warp drive, but that hasn't slowed our collective hurtle toward new stories, new inventions and new realms of physics.

Related: Special relativity holds up to a high-energy test

A l ight-year is the distance that light can travel in one year — about 6 trillion miles (10 trillion kilometers). It's one way that astronomers and physicists measure immense distances across our universe.

Light travels from the moon to our eyes in about 1 second, which means the moon is about 1 light-second away. Sunlight takes about 8 minutes to reach our eyes, so the sun is about 8 light minutes away. Light from Alpha Centauri , which is the nearest star system to our own, requires roughly 4.3 years to get here, so Alpha Centauri is 4.3 light-years away.

"To obtain an idea of the size of a light-year, take the circumference of the Earth (24,900 miles), lay it out in a straight line, multiply the length of the line by 7.5 (the corresponding distance is one light-second), then place 31.6 million similar lines end to end," NASA's Glenn Research Center says on its website . "The resulting distance is almost 6 trillion (6,000,000,000,000) miles!"

Stars and other objects beyond our solar system lie anywhere from a few light-years to a few billion light-years away. And everything astronomers "see" in the distant universe is literally history. When astronomers study objects that are far away, they are seeing light that shows the objects as they existed at the time that light left them. 

This principle allows astronomers to see the universe as it looked after the Big Bang , which took place about 13.8 billion years ago. Objects that are 10 billion light-years away from us appear to astronomers as they looked 10 billion years ago — relatively soon after the beginning of the universe — rather than how they appear today.

Related: Why the universe is all history

Speed of light FAQs answered by an expert

We asked Rob Zellem, exoplanet-hunter and staff scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab, a few frequently asked questions about the speed of light. 

Dr. Rob Zellem is a staff scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a federally funded research and development center operated by the California Institute of Technology. Rob is the project lead for Exoplanet Watch, a citizen science project to observe exoplanets, planets outside of our own solar system, with small telescopes. He is also the Science Calibration lead for the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope's Coronagraph Instrument, which will directly image exoplanets. 

What is faster than the speed of light?

Nothing! Light is a "universal speed limit" and, according to Einstein's theory of relativity, is the fastest speed in the universe: 300,000 kilometers per second (186,000 miles per second). 

Is the speed of light constant?

The speed of light is a universal constant in a vacuum, like the vacuum of space. However, light *can* slow down slightly when it passes through an absorbing medium, like water (225,000 kilometers per second = 140,000 miles per second) or glass (200,000 kilometers per second = 124,000 miles per second). 

Who discovered the speed of light?

One of the first measurements of the speed of light was by Rømer in 1676 by observing the moons of Jupiter . The speed of light was first measured to high precision in 1879 by the Michelson-Morley Experiment. 

How do we know the speed of light?

Rømer was able to measure the speed of light by observing eclipses of Jupiter's moon Io. When Jupiter was closer to Earth, Rømer noted that eclipses of Io occurred slightly earlier than when Jupiter was farther away. Rømer attributed this effect due the time it takes for light to travel over the longer distance when Jupiter was farther from the Earth. 

How did we learn the speed of light?

As early as the 5th century, Greek philosophers like Empedocles and Aristotle disagreed on the nature of light speed. Empedocles proposed that light, whatever it was made of, must travel and therefore, must have a rate of travel. Aristotle wrote a rebuttal of Empedocles' view in his own treatise, On Sense and the Sensible , arguing that light, unlike sound and smell, must be instantaneous. Aristotle was wrong, of course, but it would take hundreds of years for anyone to prove it. 

In the mid 1600s, the Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei stood two people on hills less than a mile apart. Each person held a shielded lantern. One uncovered his lantern; when the other person saw the flash, he uncovered his too. But Galileo's experimental distance wasn't far enough for his participants to record the speed of light. He could only conclude that light traveled at least 10 times faster than sound.

In the 1670s, Danish astronomer Ole Rømer tried to create a reliable timetable for sailors at sea, and according to NASA , accidentally came up with a new best estimate for the speed of light. To create an astronomical clock, he recorded the precise timing of the eclipses of Jupiter's moon , Io, from Earth . Over time, Rømer observed that Io's eclipses often differed from his calculations. He noticed that the eclipses appeared to lag the most when Jupiter and Earth were moving away from one another, showed up ahead of time when the planets were approaching and occurred on schedule when the planets were at their closest or farthest points. This observation demonstrated what we today know as the Doppler effect, the change in frequency of light or sound emitted by a moving object that in the astronomical world manifests as the so-called redshift , the shift towards "redder", longer wavelengths in objects speeding away from us. In a leap of intuition, Rømer determined that light was taking measurable time to travel from Io to Earth. 

Rømer used his observations to estimate the speed of light. Since the size of the solar system and Earth's orbit wasn't yet accurately known, argued a 1998 paper in the American Journal of Physics , he was a bit off. But at last, scientists had a number to work with. Rømer's calculation put the speed of light at about 124,000 miles per second (200,000 km/s).

In 1728, English physicist James Bradley based a new set of calculations on the change in the apparent position of stars caused by Earth's travels around the sun. He estimated the speed of light at 185,000 miles per second (301,000 km/s) — accurate to within about 1% of the real value, according to the American Physical Society .

Two new attempts in the mid-1800s brought the problem back to Earth. French physicist Hippolyte Fizeau set a beam of light on a rapidly rotating toothed wheel, with a mirror set up 5 miles (8 km) away to reflect it back to its source. Varying the speed of the wheel allowed Fizeau to calculate how long it took for the light to travel out of the hole, to the adjacent mirror, and back through the gap. Another French physicist, Leon Foucault, used a rotating mirror rather than a wheel to perform essentially the same experiment. The two independent methods each came within about 1,000 miles per second (1,609 km/s) of the speed of light.

Another scientist who tackled the speed of light mystery was Poland-born Albert A. Michelson, who grew up in California during the state's gold rush period, and honed his interest in physics while attending the U.S. Naval Academy, according to the University of Virginia . In 1879, he attempted to replicate Foucault's method of determining the speed of light, but Michelson increased the distance between mirrors and used extremely high-quality mirrors and lenses. Michelson's result of 186,355 miles per second (299,910 km/s) was accepted as the most accurate measurement of the speed of light for 40 years, until Michelson re-measured it himself. In his second round of experiments, Michelson flashed lights between two mountain tops with carefully measured distances to get a more precise estimate. And in his third attempt just before his death in 1931, according to the Smithsonian's Air and Space magazine, he built a mile-long depressurized tube of corrugated steel pipe. The pipe simulated a near-vacuum that would remove any effect of air on light speed for an even finer measurement, which in the end was just slightly lower than the accepted value of the speed of light today. 

Michelson also studied the nature of light itself, wrote astrophysicist Ethan Siegal in the Forbes science blog, Starts With a Bang . The best minds in physics at the time of Michelson's experiments were divided: Was light a wave or a particle? 

Michelson, along with his colleague Edward Morley, worked under the assumption that light moved as a wave, just like sound. And just as sound needs particles to move, Michelson and Morley and other physicists of the time reasoned, light must have some kind of medium to move through. This invisible, undetectable stuff was called the "luminiferous aether" (also known as "ether"). 

Though Michelson and Morley built a sophisticated interferometer (a very basic version of the instrument used today in LIGO facilities), Michelson could not find evidence of any kind of luminiferous aether whatsoever. Light, he determined, can and does travel through a vacuum.

"The experiment — and Michelson's body of work — was so revolutionary that he became the only person in history to have won a Nobel Prize for a very precise non-discovery of anything," Siegal wrote. "The experiment itself may have been a complete failure, but what we learned from it was a greater boon to humanity and our understanding of the universe than any success would have been!"

Special relativity and the speed of light

Einstein's theory of special relativity unified energy, matter and the speed of light in a famous equation: E = mc^2. The equation describes the relationship between mass and energy — small amounts of mass (m) contain, or are made up of, an inherently enormous amount of energy (E). (That's what makes nuclear bombs so powerful: They're converting mass into blasts of energy.) Because energy is equal to mass times the speed of light squared, the speed of light serves as a conversion factor, explaining exactly how much energy must be within matter. And because the speed of light is such a huge number, even small amounts of mass must equate to vast quantities of energy.

In order to accurately describe the universe, Einstein's elegant equation requires the speed of light to be an immutable constant. Einstein asserted that light moved through a vacuum, not any kind of luminiferous aether, and in such a way that it moved at the same speed no matter the speed of the observer. 

Think of it like this: Observers sitting on a train could look at a train moving along a parallel track and think of its relative movement to themselves as zero. But observers moving nearly the speed of light would still perceive light as moving away from them at more than 670 million mph. (That's because moving really, really fast is one of the only confirmed methods of time travel — time actually slows down for those observers, who will age slower and perceive fewer moments than an observer moving slowly.)

In other words, Einstein proposed that the speed of light doesn't vary with the time or place that you measure it, or how fast you yourself are moving. 

Therefore, objects with mass cannot ever reach the speed of light. If an object ever did reach the speed of light, its mass would become infinite. And as a result, the energy required to move the object would also become infinite: an impossibility.

That means if we base our understanding of physics on special relativity (which most modern physicists do), the speed of light is the immutable speed limit of our universe — the fastest that anything can travel. 

What goes faster than the speed of light?

Although the speed of light is often referred to as the universe's speed limit, the universe actually expands even faster. The universe expands at a little more than 42 miles (68 kilometers) per second for each megaparsec of distance from the observer, wrote astrophysicist Paul Sutter in a previous article for Space.com . (A megaparsec is 3.26 million light-years — a really long way.) 

In other words, a galaxy 1 megaparsec away appears to be traveling away from the Milky Way at a speed of 42 miles per second (68 km/s), while a galaxy two megaparsecs away recedes at nearly 86 miles per second (136 km/s), and so on. 

"At some point, at some obscene distance, the speed tips over the scales and exceeds the speed of light, all from the natural, regular expansion of space," Sutter explained. "It seems like it should be illegal, doesn't it?"

Special relativity provides an absolute speed limit within the universe, according to Sutter, but Einstein's 1915 theory regarding general relativity allows different behavior when the physics you're examining are no longer "local."

"A galaxy on the far side of the universe? That's the domain of general relativity, and general relativity says: Who cares! That galaxy can have any speed it wants, as long as it stays way far away, and not up next to your face," Sutter wrote. "Special relativity doesn't care about the speed — superluminal or otherwise — of a distant galaxy. And neither should you."

Does light ever slow down?

Light in a vacuum is generally held to travel at an absolute speed, but light traveling through any material can be slowed down. The amount that a material slows down light is called its refractive index. Light bends when coming into contact with particles, which results in a decrease in speed.

For example, light traveling through Earth's atmosphere moves almost as fast as light in a vacuum, slowing down by just three ten-thousandths of the speed of light. But light passing through a diamond slows to less than half its typical speed, PBS NOVA reported. Even so, it travels through the gem at over 277 million mph (almost 124,000 km/s) — enough to make a difference, but still incredibly fast.

Light can be trapped — and even stopped — inside ultra-cold clouds of atoms, according to a 2001 study published in the journal Nature . More recently, a 2018 study published in the journal Physical Review Letters proposed a new way to stop light in its tracks at "exceptional points," or places where two separate light emissions intersect and merge into one.

Researchers have also tried to slow down light even when it's traveling through a vacuum. A team of Scottish scientists successfully slowed down a single photon, or particle of light, even as it moved through a vacuum, as described in their 2015 study published in the journal Science . In their measurements, the difference between the slowed photon and a "regular" photon was just a few millionths of a meter, but it demonstrated that light in a vacuum can be slower than the official speed of light. 

Can we travel faster than light?

— Spaceship could fly faster than light

— Here's what the speed of light looks like in slow motion

— Why is the speed of light the way it is?

Science fiction loves the idea of "warp speed." Faster-than-light travel makes countless sci-fi franchises possible, condensing the vast expanses of space and letting characters pop back and forth between star systems with ease. 

But while faster-than-light travel isn't guaranteed impossible, we'd need to harness some pretty exotic physics to make it work. Luckily for sci-fi enthusiasts and theoretical physicists alike, there are lots of avenues to explore.

All we have to do is figure out how to not move ourselves — since special relativity would ensure we'd be long destroyed before we reached high enough speed — but instead, move the space around us. Easy, right? 

One proposed idea involves a spaceship that could fold a space-time bubble around itself. Sounds great, both in theory and in fiction.

"If Captain Kirk were constrained to move at the speed of our fastest rockets, it would take him a hundred thousand years just to get to the next star system," said Seth Shostak, an astronomer at the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) Institute in Mountain View, California, in a 2010 interview with Space.com's sister site LiveScience . "So science fiction has long postulated a way to beat the speed of light barrier so the story can move a little more quickly."

Without faster-than-light travel, any "Star Trek" (or "Star War," for that matter) would be impossible. If humanity is ever to reach the farthest — and constantly expanding — corners of our universe, it will be up to future physicists to boldly go where no one has gone before.

Additional resources

For more on the speed of light, check out this fun tool from Academo that lets you visualize how fast light can travel from any place on Earth to any other. If you’re more interested in other important numbers, get familiar with the universal constants that define standard systems of measurement around the world with the National Institute of Standards and Technology . And if you’d like more on the history of the speed of light, check out the book " Lightspeed: The Ghostly Aether and the Race to Measure the Speed of Light " (Oxford, 2019) by John C. H. Spence.

Aristotle. “On Sense and the Sensible.” The Internet Classics Archive, 350AD. http://classics.mit.edu/Aristotle/sense.2.2.html .

D’Alto, Nick. “The Pipeline That Measured the Speed of Light.” Smithsonian Magazine, January 2017. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/air-space-magazine/18_fm2017-oo-180961669/ .

Fowler, Michael. “Speed of Light.” Modern Physics. University of Virginia. Accessed January 13, 2022. https://galileo.phys.virginia.edu/classes/252/spedlite.html#Albert%20Abraham%20Michelson .

Giovannini, Daniel, Jacquiline Romero, Václav Potoček, Gergely Ferenczi, Fiona Speirits, Stephen M. Barnett, Daniele Faccio, and Miles J. Padgett. “Spatially Structured Photons That Travel in Free Space Slower than the Speed of Light.” Science, February 20, 2015. https://www.science.org/doi/abs/10.1126/science.aaa3035 .

Goldzak, Tamar, Alexei A. Mailybaev, and Nimrod Moiseyev. “Light Stops at Exceptional Points.” Physical Review Letters 120, no. 1 (January 3, 2018): 013901. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.120.013901 . 

Hazen, Robert. “What Makes Diamond Sparkle?” PBS NOVA, January 31, 2000. https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/article/diamond-science/ . 

“How Long Is a Light-Year?” Glenn Learning Technologies Project, May 13, 2021. https://www.grc.nasa.gov/www/k-12/Numbers/Math/Mathematical_Thinking/how_long_is_a_light_year.htm . 

American Physical Society News. “July 1849: Fizeau Publishes Results of Speed of Light Experiment,” July 2010. http://www.aps.org/publications/apsnews/201007/physicshistory.cfm . 

Liu, Chien, Zachary Dutton, Cyrus H. Behroozi, and Lene Vestergaard Hau. “Observation of Coherent Optical Information Storage in an Atomic Medium Using Halted Light Pulses.” Nature 409, no. 6819 (January 2001): 490–93. https://doi.org/10.1038/35054017 . 

NIST. “Meet the Constants.” October 12, 2018. https://www.nist.gov/si-redefinition/meet-constants . 

Ouellette, Jennifer. “A Brief History of the Speed of Light.” PBS NOVA, February 27, 2015. https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/article/brief-history-speed-light/ . 

Shea, James H. “Ole Ro/Mer, the Speed of Light, the Apparent Period of Io, the Doppler Effect, and the Dynamics of Earth and Jupiter.” American Journal of Physics 66, no. 7 (July 1, 1998): 561–69. https://doi.org/10.1119/1.19020 . 

Siegel, Ethan. “The Failed Experiment That Changed The World.” Forbes, April 21, 2017. https://www.forbes.com/sites/startswithabang/2017/04/21/the-failed-experiment-that-changed-the-world/ . 

Stern, David. “Rømer and the Speed of Light,” October 17, 2016. https://pwg.gsfc.nasa.gov/stargaze/Sun4Adop1.htm . 

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How Does Light Travel?

Sound & Light (Physics): How are They Different?

The question of how light travels through space is one of the perennial mysteries of physics. In modern explanations, it is a wave phenomenon that doesn't need a medium through which to propagate. According to quantum theory, it also behaves as a collection of particles under certain circumstances. For most macroscopic purposes, though, its behavior can be described by treating it as a wave and applying the principles of wave mechanics to describe its motion.

Electromagnetic Vibrations

In the mid 1800s, Scottish physicist James Clerk Maxwell established that light is a form of electromagnetic energy that travels in waves. The question of how it manages to do so in the absence of a medium is explained by the nature of electromagnetic vibrations. When a charged particle vibrates, it produces an electrical vibration that automatically induces a magnetic one -- physicists often visualize these vibrations occurring in perpendicular planes. The paired oscillations propagate outward from the source; no medium, except for the electromagnetic field that permeates the universe, is required to conduct them.

A Ray of Light

When an electromagnetic source generates light, the light travels outward as a series of concentric spheres spaced in accordance with the vibration of the source. Light always takes the shortest path between a source and destination. A line drawn from the source to the destination, perpendicular to the wave-fronts, is called a ray. Far from the source, spherical wave fronts degenerate into a series of parallel lines moving in the direction of the ray. Their spacing defines the wavelength of the light, and the number of such lines that pass a given point in a given unit of time defines the frequency.

The Speed of Light

The frequency with which a light source vibrates determines the frequency -- and wavelength -- of the resultant radiation. This directly affects the energy of the wave packet -- or burst of waves moving as a unit -- according to a relationship established by physicist Max Planck in the early 1900s. If the light is visible, the frequency of vibration determines color. The speed of light is unaffected by vibrational frequency, however. In a vacuum, it is always 299,792 kilometers per second (186, 282 miles per second), a value denoted by the letter "c." According to Einstein's Theory of Relativity, nothing in the universe travels faster than this.

Refraction and Rainbows

Light travels slower in a medium than it does in a vacuum, and the speed is proportional to the density of the medium. This speed variation causes light to bend at the interface of two media -- a phenomenon called refraction. The angle at which it bends depends on the densities of the two media and the wavelength of the incident light. When light incident on a transparent medium is composed of wave fronts of different wavelengths, each wave front bends at a different angle, and the result is a rainbow.

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How Does Light Travel?

Ever since Democritus – a Greek philosopher who lived between the 5th and 4th century’s BCE – argued that all of existence was made up of tiny indivisible atoms, scientists have been speculating as to the true nature of light. Whereas scientists ventured back and forth between the notion that light was a particle or a wave until the modern era, the 20th century led to breakthroughs that showed us that it behaves as both.

These included the discovery of the electron, the development of quantum theory, and Einstein’s Theory of Relativity . However, there remains many unanswered questions about light, many of which arise from its dual nature. For instance, how is it that light can be apparently without mass, but still behave as a particle? And how can it behave like a wave and pass through a vacuum, when all other waves require a medium to propagate?

Theory of Light to the 19th Century:

During the Scientific Revolution, scientists began moving away from Aristotelian scientific theories that had been seen as accepted canon for centuries. This included rejecting Aristotle’s theory of light, which viewed it as being a disturbance in the air (one of his four “elements” that composed matter), and embracing the more mechanistic view that light was composed of indivisible atoms.

In many ways, this theory had been previewed by atomists of Classical Antiquity – such as Democritus and Lucretius – both of whom viewed light as a unit of matter given off by the sun. By the 17th century, several scientists emerged who accepted this view, stating that light was made up of discrete particles (or “corpuscles”). This included Pierre Gassendi, a contemporary of René Descartes, Thomas Hobbes, Robert Boyle, and most famously, Sir Isaac Newton .

Newton’s corpuscular theory was an elaboration of his view of reality as an interaction of material points through forces. This theory would remain the accepted scientific view for more than 100 years, the principles of which were explained in his 1704 treatise “ Opticks, or, a Treatise of the Reflections, Refractions, Inflections, and Colours of Light “. According to Newton, the principles of light could be summed as follows:

• Every source of light emits large numbers of tiny particles known as corpuscles in a medium surrounding the source.
• These corpuscles are perfectly elastic, rigid, and weightless.

This represented a challenge to “wave theory”, which had been advocated by 17th century Dutch astronomer Christiaan Huygens . . These theories were first communicated in 1678 to the Paris Academy of Sciences and were published in 1690 in his “ Traité de la lumière “ (“ Treatise on Light “). In it, he argued a revised version of Descartes views, in which the speed of light is infinite and propagated by means of spherical waves emitted along the wave front.

Double-Slit Experiment:

By the early 19th century, scientists began to break with corpuscular theory. This was due in part to the fact that corpuscular theory failed to adequately explain the diffraction, interference and polarization of light, but was also because of various experiments that seemed to confirm the still-competing view that light behaved as a wave.

The most famous of these was arguably the Double-Slit Experiment , which was originally conducted by English polymath Thomas Young in 1801 (though Sir Isaac Newton is believed to have conducted something similar in his own time). In Young’s version of the experiment, he used a slip of paper with slits cut into it, and then pointed a light source at them to measure how light passed through it.

According to classical (i.e. Newtonian) particle theory, the results of the experiment should have corresponded to the slits, the impacts on the screen appearing in two vertical lines. Instead, the results showed that the coherent beams of light were interfering, creating a pattern of bright and dark bands on the screen. This contradicted classical particle theory, in which particles do not interfere with each other, but merely collide.

The only possible explanation for this pattern of interference was that the light beams were in fact behaving as waves. Thus, this experiment dispelled the notion that light consisted of corpuscles and played a vital part in the acceptance of the wave theory of light. However subsequent research, involving the discovery of the electron and electromagnetic radiation, would lead to scientists considering yet again that light behaved as a particle too, thus giving rise to wave-particle duality theory.

Electromagnetism and Special Relativity:

Prior to the 19th and 20th centuries, the speed of light had already been determined. The first recorded measurements were performed by Danish astronomer Ole Rømer, who demonstrated in 1676 using light measurements from Jupiter’s moon Io to show that light travels at a finite speed (rather than instantaneously).

By the late 19th century, James Clerk Maxwell proposed that light was an electromagnetic wave, and devised several equations (known as Maxwell’s equations ) to describe how electric and magnetic fields are generated and altered by each other and by charges and currents. By conducting measurements of different types of radiation (magnetic fields, ultraviolet and infrared radiation), he was able to calculate the speed of light in a vacuum (represented as c ).

In 1905, Albert Einstein published “ On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies ”, in which he advanced one of his most famous theories and overturned centuries of accepted notions and orthodoxies. In his paper, he postulated that the speed of light was the same in all inertial reference frames, regardless of the motion of the light source or the position of the observer.

Exploring the consequences of this theory is what led him to propose his theory of Special Relativity , which reconciled Maxwell’s equations for electricity and magnetism with the laws of mechanics, simplified the mathematical calculations, and accorded with the directly observed speed of light and accounted for the observed aberrations. It also demonstrated that the speed of light had relevance outside the context of light and electromagnetism.

For one, it introduced the idea that major changes occur when things move close the speed of light, including the time-space frame of a moving body appearing to slow down and contract in the direction of motion when measured in the frame of the observer. After centuries of increasingly precise measurements, the speed of light was determined to be 299,792,458 m/s in 1975.

Einstein and the Photon:

In 1905, Einstein also helped to resolve a great deal of confusion surrounding the behavior of electromagnetic radiation when he proposed that electrons are emitted from atoms when they absorb energy from light. Known as the photoelectric effect , Einstein based his idea on Planck’s earlier work with “black bodies” – materials that absorb electromagnetic energy instead of reflecting it (i.e. white bodies).

At the time, Einstein’s photoelectric effect was attempt to explain the “black body problem”, in which a black body emits electromagnetic radiation due to the object’s heat. This was a persistent problem in the world of physics, arising from the discovery of the electron, which had only happened eight years previous (thanks to British physicists led by J.J. Thompson and experiments using cathode ray tubes ).

At the time, scientists still believed that electromagnetic energy behaved as a wave, and were therefore hoping to be able to explain it in terms of classical physics. Einstein’s explanation represented a break with this, asserting that electromagnetic radiation behaved in ways that were consistent with a particle – a quantized form of light which he named “photons”. For this discovery, Einstein was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1921.

Wave-Particle Duality:

Subsequent theories on the behavior of light would further refine this idea, which included French physicist Louis-Victor de Broglie calculating the wavelength at which light functioned. This was followed by Heisenberg’s “uncertainty principle” (which stated that measuring the position of a photon accurately would disturb measurements of it momentum and vice versa), and Schrödinger’s paradox that claimed that all particles have a “wave function”.

In accordance with quantum mechanical explanation, Schrodinger proposed that all the information about a particle (in this case, a photon) is encoded in its wave function , a complex-valued function roughly analogous to the amplitude of a wave at each point in space. At some location, the measurement of the wave function will randomly “collapse”, or rather “decohere”, to a sharply peaked function. This was illustrated in Schrödinger famous paradox involving a closed box, a cat, and a vial of poison (known as the “ Schrödinger Cat” paradox).

According to his theory, wave function also evolves according to a differential equation (aka. the Schrödinger equation ). For particles with mass, this equation has solutions; but for particles with no mass, no solution existed. Further experiments involving the Double-Slit Experiment confirmed the dual nature of photons. where measuring devices were incorporated to observe the photons as they passed through the slits.

When this was done, the photons appeared in the form of particles and their impacts on the screen corresponded to the slits – tiny particle-sized spots distributed in straight vertical lines. By placing an observation device in place, the wave function of the photons collapsed and the light behaved as classical particles once more. As predicted by Schrödinger, this could only be resolved by claiming that light has a wave function, and that observing it causes the range of behavioral possibilities to collapse to the point where its behavior becomes predictable.

The development of Quantum Field Theory (QFT) was devised in the following decades to resolve much of the ambiguity around wave-particle duality. And in time, this theory was shown to apply to other particles and fundamental forces of interaction (such as weak and strong nuclear forces). Today, photons are part of the Standard Model of particle physics, where they are classified as boson – a class of subatomic particles that are force carriers and have no mass.

So how does light travel? Basically, traveling at incredible speeds (299 792 458 m/s) and at different wavelengths, depending on its energy. It also behaves as both a wave and a particle, able to propagate through mediums (like air and water) as well as space. It has no mass, but can still be absorbed, reflected, or refracted if it comes in contact with a medium. And in the end, the only thing that can truly divert it, or arrest it, is gravity (i.e. a black hole).

What we have learned about light and electromagnetism has been intrinsic to the revolution which took place in physics in the early 20th century, a revolution that we have been grappling with ever since. Thanks to the efforts of scientists like Maxwell, Planck, Einstein, Heisenberg and Schrodinger, we have learned much, but still have much to learn.

For instance, its interaction with gravity (along with weak and strong nuclear forces) remains a mystery. Unlocking this, and thus discovering a Theory of Everything (ToE) is something astronomers and physicists look forward to. Someday, we just might have it all figured out!

We have written many articles about light here at Universe Today. For example, here’s How Fast is the Speed of Light? , How Far is a Light Year? , What is Einstein’s Theory of Relativity?

If you’d like more info on light, check out these articles from The Physics Hypertextbook and NASA’s Mission Science page.

We’ve also recorded an entire episode of Astronomy Cast all about Interstellar Travel. Listen here, Episode 145: Interstellar Travel .

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56 Replies to “How Does Light Travel?”

“HOW DOES LIGHT TRAVEL?”

it travels lightly. 😀

Light doesn’t exist. This is an observation from light’s point of view and not ours. Traveling at the speed of (wait for it) light, absolutely no time passes between leaving it’s source and reaching it’s destination for the photon. This means, to the photon hitting your retina, it is also still on that star you are observing 10 light years away. How is this possible? Maybe John Wheeler was right when he told Richard Feynman that there is only one electron in the universe and it travels forward in time as an electron, then back in time as a positron and every electron we see is the same electron.

MY QUESTION IS: Whether light is a wave , particle or both.. where does it get the energy to move through space/time. In other words is the energy of light infinite? Does it continue on without lose of energy…..forever…….

I believe that Special Relativity says that the energy of light is infinite due to the very fact it has no mass. E=MC^2

In reverse, this is also why something with mass to begin with. If accelerated toward the speed of light, will see their mass and gravity increase to infinite points as they near relativistic speed (it actually starts around 95% with a steep upward curve from there), with a relative slowing to a stop of time.

Join the discussion

Light and the universe are only illusions that are formed in our minds via technology that sends information from the simulation program we’re living in. That information comes in the form of invisible wavelengths that includes wavelengths that we perceive as light. The visible retinas in our eyes are like tiny video screens where these particles are arranged into patterns that form into all the various objects we think are real objects. This information is also converted into thoughts within our minds which are like computer processors that process that information.

We are living in a computer simulation that is much more advanced than anything the characters in the program have built according to the information called the Beast.

Brad,…So You’re suggesting that “life” as we know and call it “is some kind of retro-virus” or “bio-intelligent format” heaped upon a perceived “set of accepted data sets” that are not in sync with each other in most cases with exception to Math 94% of the time….Even then it can vary which suggests Your idea would mean we all live in a fairy tale. That is what you suggest,…right?……

Brad has watched the Matrix too many times.

Correction: Even gravity doesn’t slow light down. Light (EM radiation of any wavelength) always travels at speed c, relative to any local inertial (Lorentz) frame. It could also be noted that the wavelength of an EM wave is not a characteristic of that wave alone; it also depends on the state of motion of the observer. You might even say, “One man’s radio wave is another man’s gamma ray.”

Light actually “slows down” every time it has to travel through anything but a vacuum. Look up Cherenkov radiation to see what happens when light initially travels faster than it can through a particular substance, like water. Light speed is not constant when traveling through any medium except pure vacuum. In fact that is why your pencil looks bent when you drop it in a glass of water. Light bends to find it’s fastest path through any medium, and it slows down in that medium.

if all you scientist could ever get it in your pie brain that there is no time, no light speed, no warping space, no black holes for the purpose of moving through space quickly, no smallest no biggest when it comes to space and that all of everything has always been in existence but not necessarily as it is now. you will never find the smallest because if it exist it has an inside, and you will never find the end of space because it is infinite.

What are you smoking?

The article started out nicely, but I lost interest as mistakes began to appear. First Einstein did not “propose” the photoelectric effect. The photoelectric effect was first observed by Heinrich Hertz in 1887. Einstein used the idea of photons to explain the photoelectric effect and derive the photoelectric equation. Also, Max Plank had already derived the blackbody distribution, by assuming that electromagnetic energy of frequency f could only be emitted in multiples of energy E=hf, by 1900. Einstein’s paper on the photoelectric effect was published in his “miracle” year of 1905. The photoelectric effect has nothing to do with black body radiation.

Einstein did not coin the name “photons” for light quanta, as stated in this article. This term was first used by Arthur Compton in 1928.

I have to say that I do not know what the author of the article means when he says ” calculating the wavelength at which light functioned” in reference to Louis-Victor de Broglie. Louis de Broglie used the dual nature of light to suggest that electrons, previously thought of as particles, also had wave characteristics and used this notion to explain the Bohr orbits in the hydrogen atom.

I gave up on the article after seeing these errors. I’m afraid I have a low tolerance for sloppy writing.

Oh, it’s BCE now, “Before the Common Era” BC has worked for 2000 years but now the PC police have stepped in so as not to offend who? Some Muslims?

mecheng1, you must be very young. BCE has been in used in academia for decades. It’s nothing “new”, just out of your circle of knowledge.

Decades??? Really?? How does that compare to 2000 years?

Only in Euro-centric texts have your assertions been true, McCowen. The rest of the world not influenced by Christianity have used their own calendars and a “0” year or a “year 1” from which to reckon the passage of time, largely based on their own religions or celestial observations.

Over the last century or so, through commerce, most of the world has generally accepted the use of a Western calendar (or use it along with their own for domestic purposes, like we here in the US still use Imperial units of measure that have to be converted to metric for international commerce). So, we are in a “common era” insofar as non-Christian societies are incorporating the Gregorian Calendar and the generally-accepted “year 1” established by that calendar (which is supposed to be the year of Jesus’s birth, but it probably isn’t according to current scholarship). Besides, the Gregorian calendar is an improved derivative of the Roman calendar – even the names of the months come from the Romans.

In short, it is more accurate, as well as respectful, to go with BCE in these global times.

Where is the information carried on a photon hitting my eye(s), or cluster/group/pack of photons hitting my eyes(s), that I see as other distant galaxies and planets going around stars?

That’s the mystery, isn’t it? Even in scattering, light remains coherent enough to convey an enormous amount of information.

Since the miniscule equal masses with opposite charges, that make up the photon structure, interact at 90 degrees, this induces a spin (a finding from the 80’s by the LANL plasma physics program) which creates a centrifugal force that counterbalances the charge attraction of the opposite charges. This establishes a stable structure for energies less than 1.0216 MeV, the pair-formation threshold, separating these “neutrino” sub-components by a specific distance providing wavelengths varying with photon energy. This composite photon propagates transversely at c/n, the speed of light divided by the index of refraction of the material traversed. In spite of the mass being defined as zero, for convenience in calculating atomic masses, there is actually an infinitesimal but non-zero mass for the photon that is required for calculations that describe its properties.

Tim, you poor guy! You have a discombobulated brain! Everything you wrote is just gibberish.

i would like to know the temperature in a black hole…maybe absolute zero? is absolute zero the moment that time stop?

I think the temp inside a black hole would be extremely high since temperature seems to increase with mass. Comparing absolute zero to time stopping is very interesting though. To the observer they would appear the same.

Theoretically there is no temperature in a black hole from any observer POV because time is stopped. Although JALNIN does bring up that point, and he also brings up the point of increasing mass corresponding to increasing energy. Everything in Hawking and Einstein’s equations though, suggest that any energy would be absorbed back by the singularity, so there wouldn’t be any heat. In fact it should be infinitely cold. But time is no more, so technically no heat or energy is emitted anyway from any observers POV. Yet recent images of black holes from Chandra show that they emit powerful Gamma Jets along their spin axis just like Neutron stars, and Pulsars. BTW edison. The accretion disk can reach temperatures of 20MN Kelvin on a feeding SM black hole (quasar). NASA just published an article on it through the Chandra feed a while back.

Light doesn’t travel, it just IS. It is we, the condensed matter, that travels, through time.

Oh really? Is this just your imagination/illusion or you have published a paper on it?

So you don’t believe you travel through time?

I wish I understood just a portion of I just read, love sicence so bad BUT, sighs

It would be easier to understand if it wasn’t pure gibberish written by someone with no science background.

I have two “mind-bending relativity side effects” to share. At least they are mind-bending to me.

1) Light travels the same speed relative to all particles of mass, regardless of how those particles move relative to each other:

I can conceptualize this if we are only talking about two mass-particles/observers and the examples I’ve seen always involve only two observers. But if you have many mass-particles/observers, how does the space-time seem to know to adjust differently for all of them. I am sure i am understanding this correctly as it is a basic concept of special relativity and nobody seems to bring this issue up. But it “bends my mind” when i try to include more than two observers. Maybe you can help.

2) General Relativity’s (“GR”) prediction that the big bang started with “Infinite” energy and now the universe appears to have finite mass energy and Regarding the first effect: How can something infinite turn into something finite? Is the answer that at that early in the universe, quantum takes over and GR’s prediction of infinite mass-energy at the start of the universe is just wrong?

I need to correct a typo in my previous comment. Where i say “i am sure am understanding this correctly” I meant to include the word NOT. so it should read “i am sure am NOT understanding this correctly” Mark L.

Mark,….I think you’re understanding it just fine from the standpoint of multiple observers, The point might be that in space, the density of “emptiness” or “lack of emptiness” might be impacted from one area of observation to another by an observer who’s perceptions are not equal but not being taken into consideration by each observer. ( an example if I may?) If you were to use a Clear medium which is oil based beginning with 5 gallons of mineral spirits in a large barrel and keep adding 5 gallons of thicker clear oil and then heavy grease and stop with using a clear heavy wax,…what happens is you end up with a barrel of clear fluid that begins with a floating substrate but the liquid begins to keep floating and the heaviest stuff goes to the bottom,…You end up with a sort of solid tube of clear fluids which if you could keep them in shape here on the earth, “you could observe them” from several positions, #1. the fluid end #2, the less fluid part, #3, the semi solid part #4. the seemingly solid part #5. the almost solid part & #6. the solid part……all of which would be transparent….You could then shine a laser through all of it and perhaps do that again from different places and see what happens at different angles…..I think what happens as a result would be, an observer would end up be influenced as per his or her ideas thusly because of the quasi-nature of what the density of space is at the point of space is where the observation is made. just a guess.

All Special Relativity really says about light is that it appears to move at the same rate from any observer POV. There are other more advanced rules relating to light speeds. One of them is the implication of infinite energy in a photon because of the fact it’s mass-less, therefore it can move at the maximum rate a mass-less particle or wave can (not necessarily that it does) Later when the electron was discovered (also mass-less particle or wave), it was also found to conform to the rules of special relativity.

As far as the big bang, there are a lot of cracks in that theory, and many different ones are beginning to dispute some of the common ideas behind the “Big Bang” as well as “Inflationary Cosmology”. Honestly though, both standard and quantum physics applied, and yet both went out the window at the same time at some point. That’s what all the theories really say. At some point, everything we know or think we know was bunk, because the math just breaks down, and doesn’t work right anymore.

i think until there is an understanding of the actual “fabric” of space itself, the wave vs particle confusion will continue. another interesting article recently was the half integer values of rotating light. planck’s constant was broken? gravity? a bump in the data? lol these are interesting times.

There’s no fabric.

Tesla insists there is an aether, Einstein says not. Tesla enjoyed far less trial and error than Einstein. The vast majority of Tesla’s projects worked the first time around and required no development or experimentation. I’ll go with Tesla; there is an aether as a fabric of space.

http://weinsteinsletter.weebly.com/aether.html

Maybe Special Relativity is not correct? 🙂

Feynman said unequivocally that QED is NOT a wave theory. In fact, the math only looks like Maxwell’s wave function when you are looking at a single particle at a time, but the analogy breaks down as soon as you start looking at the interactions of more than one, which is the real case. There’s no light acting alone, but always an interaction between a photon and some other particle, an electron, another photon, or whatever. He said “light is particles.” So the question re: how can light travel through a vacuum if it’s waves is a nonsensical question. There are no collapsing wave functions in light. There’s only probabilities of position that look like waves on a freaking piece of paper. Even calling light properties as “wavelengths” is nonsensical. Light comes in frequencies, i.e., the number of particles traveling tightly together. Higher frequency is more energy because it’s more particles (E=MC[squared]). “Wavicles” is pure bullshit.

I don’t agree with the John Wheeler theory that there is only one electron since the computer I am using was built by ion implantation and uses a very large number of them simultaneously to function.

Black holes don’t stop or slow light, if they even exist. A black hole could phase shift light, which is why we see things emitting xrays and call them black holes….but they could be something else too.

Photons have no mass but they do have energy. Energy and mass are transformable into each other. Gravity works on energy as well as mass. As massive particles approach the speed of light their measurable mass increases to infinity. But since energy is equivalent to mass, why doesn’t the photon, which has energy, not seem to have infinite mass?

NO other wave travels thru a vacuum? what about radio?

Radio waves are a specific frequency range of light.

Technically speaking, radio waves are emitted at various frequencies that share the same space time as light. They are not however light. They’re modulated electrons. Modulated photons certainly can be used to carry a vast amount of information a great distance. It cannot do it any faster or better than a radio wave though. Both electrons and photons are mass-less, therefore they both conform to the rules of Special Relativity in the same way. Both travel at the speed of light.

I just don’t understand is it a particle of a wave? It seems like it behaves like wave and sometimes like particle and in some situations is like a what ever you are going to call it.

So, the logical idea would to have formula Photon_influence * weight_for_particle + Wave_influence * weight_for_wave

Make it more compact.

This article is good but the title is bad as by the end we still weren’t told how light travels through space. Also, there are some historical mistakes as already pointed out. Now for my contribution: I think that light and Gravity have a lot in common; for one – an atom’s electrons transmit light and an atom contains the tiny heavy place that knows everything there is to know about gravity, that is, the nucleus. Light and Gravity are both related to the same entity, the atom. Unfortunately, we, still cannot grasp how what’s heavy brings about gravitation. For those of you with a creed for new ideas go to: https://www.academia.edu/10785615/Gravity_is_emergent It’s a hypothesis…

Gravity and light are infinite, like space and time… Mind the concept that there are waves within waves, motions within motion, vibrations within vibration, endless overtones and universal harmony…

From this article, I have “And in the end, the only thing that can truly slow down or arrest the speed of light is gravity”

Doesn’t light slow down in water and glass and other mediums. I was only a Physics minor, but I do remember coivering this though way back in the early 80’s. And in my quick checking online, I found the following.

“Light travels at approximately 300,000 kilometers per second in a vacuum, which has a refractive index of 1.0, but it slows down to 225,000 kilometers per second in water (refractive index = 1.3; see Figure 1) and 200,000 kilometers per second in glass (refractive index of 1.5).”

Were they saying something else here. I did like the article.

Photons are not massless, but their mass is incredibly small even compared to a proton or neutron. So, by Einstein’s E=MC^2, the energy required for a photon to move is greatly reduced, but photons do have mass and are affected by gravity. If photons had no mass at all, then gravity would have no affect on them, but gravity does. Gravity bends light and can change it’s course through space. We see that in the actual test first performed to prove Einstein’s theory buy observing the distorted placement of stars as their light passes near the sun observed during an eclipse. We can also see it through gravitational lensing when viewing deeps space objects. And the fact that there are black holes that are black because light cannot escape it’s gravity. So photons do have mass, be it miniscule, and with that their propagation with light waves through space will eventually run out of energy and stop. but this would probably require distances greater to several widths of our universe to accomplish. Light from the furthest reaches of the universe are not as bright, or as energetic, as they are at anyplace between here and their origins. That reduction in their energy is also attributed to Einstein’s equation and the inverse square law, where the intensity of light is in relation to the inverse square of the distance. That proves that light looses energy the further it travels, but it still moves at the speed of light. As light looses energy, it doesn’t slow the light wave.

It has been proven that more energetic light does in fact travel slightly faster. You can find the experiments done with light that has traveled billions of light years, the more energetic is in fact faster over a number of seconds, around 10 -15 or so. As people encounter this information, they see that many accepted theories can now be debunked.

The point of the article is nothing new; light acts like a particle AND a beam. So when you sit behind a closed door and someone shines a light on the door, the light will engulf the door and wave through and around the edges, the particle does not just bounce straight back. You can focus a beam of light on an object, but it will sneak though the corners and underneath the door, through any opening,. And yes, light travels forever. It is a constant, that cannot be sped up. We can slow it down by focusing it through prisims or crystals. But it still is traveling at 186,000/MPS.and that speed does not change. So, that is why we can see the outer edge of the universe: 13,8B light years away *the time that it takes for light to travel in one year, is one light year. So, it has taken 13,8B light years for the light of other galaxies to get here, so those galaxies could be gone by now, since it took so long to reach us, We are truly looking back in time as we see the light emitted from those galaxies and stars.

It propagates through the quantum mish-mash know as the aether . . .

If light is a particle and particles have mass why does not the mas increase with it speed?

Wow…there are errors in the article, yes…the enthusiasm demonstrated by all the comments is encouraging…but when I read these comments, I am a bit dismayed at the lack of understanding that is evident in most of them…confusing energy and intensity and wavelength…confusing rest mass and inertial mass…not to mention some off-the-wall hypotheses with no experimental evidence to support them. There are some great primers out there…books, documentaries, podcasts (like Astronomy Cast). Good luck!

Precisely correct. Sci-fi rules basic physics, which reflects on the poor education system. Pity.

First time I heard about A. A. and his theory about light I really didn’t like him. Why? Because light was the the fastest thing in the universe and there is no other thing faster than the light. Later, when I have red about angular speed I have asked my self if you have linear and angular speed and both of them are speeds how that will result in the maximum speed. Since then, I have not had a chance to get right answer.

Comments are closed.

41 Nova Scotia Lighthouses to Visit This Summer

Nova Scotia lighthouses  are famous around the world. In this article, you’ll learn about 41 lighthouses to visit this summer.

Many families make it a tradition to visit their favourite lighthouse at least once a year. And when company comes, that lighthouse is a must-see.

Lighthouses are unique buildings that are full of history. And they have saved countless lives .

One of the things that make them unique is that no two lighthouses were painted the same . This was done for navigation purposes. The lighthouses were charted and the captains carried these charts with them.

If they lost their way, they could tell where they were by the way the lighthouse was painted. And at night they could tell by the flashing of the light because each light had its own pattern .

Nova Scotia has 7500 km of coastline and a rich fishing and shipping history. In this article, you’ll learn about 41 lighthouses here in Nova Scotia.

41 Nova Scotia Lighthouses

The lighthouses on this page are organized by region. There are more but many have limited access or are on private property, so we don’t include them.

• Annapolis Valley Lighthouses ( See all 9 lighthouses )
• Cape Breton Lighthouses ( See all 7 lighthouses )
• Eastern Shore Lighthouses ( See all 2 lighthouses )
• Fundy Shore Lighthouses ( See all 6 lighthouses )
• Halifax Lighthouses ( See all 3 lighthouses )
• Northumberland Shore Lighthouses ( See all 3 lighthouses )
• South Shore Lighthouses ( See all 7 lighthouses )
• Yarmouth and Acadian Shore Lighthouses  ( See all 4 lighthouses )

At the beginning of each region, there is a list of the lighthouses covered for that area.

Below the list will be a brief overview of each lighthouse with photos and video, a map, and some interesting facts.

Lighthouse Fever Warning!  You may catch a wonderful case of Lighthouse Fever from spending time on this page. ( I caught it – and I think it’s contagious.)

Let’s get started with the lighthouses in the Annapolis Valley.

Annapolis Valley Lighthouses (9)

This region has the most lighthouses on our list. Here is a quick breakdown of them:

• Annapolis Lighthouse
• Boar’s Head Lighthouse
• Brier Island Lighthouse
• Gilbert’s Cove Lighthouse
• Grand Passage Lighthouse
• Hampton Lighthouse
• Margaretsville Lighthouse
• Point Prim Lighthouse
• Port George Lighthouse

Now let’s take a closer look at each of these lighthouses.

1. Annapolis Lighthouse

Annapolis Lighthouse was built in 1889 with a tower 28 ft (8.53m) high and the light at 30ft (9.14m) above water level.

It’s situated on the main street of Annapolis Royal in the heart of one of Canada’s largest historic districts. It serves as the headquarters for Acadian Heritage and National Historic District Tours.

In the following video, you’ll see the Annapolis Lighthouse and the town of Annapolis Royal.

Annapolis Lighthouse Video

Annapolis Lighthouse Facts:

• County:  Annapolis
• Region: Annapolis Valley
• Body of water:  Annapolis River
• Scenic Route: Evangeline Trail
• Address: Lighthouse Park, 239 St George St, Granville Ferry,  Nova Scotia

Interesting fact: The Annapolis Lighthouse is situated almost halfway between the equator and the North Pole.

2. Boar’s Head Lighthouse, Long Island

Boar’s Head Lighthouse was built in 1864. Its tower was 33ft (10.05m) high, with a light 70ft (21.33m) above water level.

The current lighthouse became operational in 1955. Its wooden tower is 35 ft (10.66m) high and its light stands 60ft (18.28m) above water level.

The following video shows Boar’s Head Lighthouse on a foggy day.

Video of Boars Head Lighthouse in Nova Scotia

Boar’s Head Lighthouse Facts:

• County:  Digby
• Body of water:  Petit Passage
• Address: 222 Boars Head Road, Digby, Nova Scotia

Interesting fact:  From mainland Nova Scotia you’ll need to take a ferry to get to this lighthouse. You can take your car on the ferry.

3. Brier Island Lighthouse

The Brier Island Lighthouse was the first lighthouse on the SW coast of Nova Scotia, and it was built in 1809.

In 1832, the first lighthouse was replaced. The second wooden tower had a light that stood at 92ft (28.04m) above water level. That lighthouse was destroyed by fire in 1944.

The current lighthouse became operational later that year. It is a concrete tower 60 ft (18.28m) high, with a light that stands 95ft (28.95m) above water level.

This short video gives you a glimpse of the Brier Island Lighthouse and the landscape surrounding the light.

Video of Brier Island Lighthouse Nova Scotia

Brier Island Lighthouse Facts:

• County:  Digby
• Body of water:  Bay of Fundy
• Address: 720 Lighthouse Road, Digby,  Nova Scotia

Interesting facts:

• You’ll need to take 2 ferries to get to this lighthouse. You can drive your car on both.
• The first lighthouse (built in 1818) was said to be “so ill-lighted and vilely constructed” that it was a hazard and was replaced by 1832.

4. Gilbert’s Cove Lighthouse, Weymouth

Gilbert’s Cove Lighthouse was built in 1904. Its tower is 36ft (10.97m) high with the light standing 40ft (12.19m) above water level.

This lighthouse is unique because the light sits on top of a square light-keeper house. Most lighthouses in Nova Scotia have a lighthouse tower and an attached or separate building that served as a light-keeper house.

There is now a tearoom, craft shop, and archival display in the lighthouse. There are also picnic grounds around it.

The following video shows the Gilbert’s Cove Lighthouse, surrounding picnic grounds, and shoreline.

Gilbert’s Cove Lighthouse Facts:

• Body of water:  St. Mary’s Bay
• Address: 244 Gilbert’s Cove, Weymouth  Nova Scotia
• Gilbert’s Cove Lighthouse is one of only 3 of its kind left in Nova Scotia.
• You can climb up to the light for a great view of St. Mary’s Bay.

5. Grand Passage Lighthouse, Westport

Grand Passage Lighthouse was built in 1901. The tower was 34ft (10.36m) high, with its light standing 62ft (18.89m) above water level.

The current lighthouse became operational in 1965. Its light stands 56ft (17.06m) above water level.

The following short video shows Grand Passage Lighthouse.

Video of Grand Passage Lighthouse, Nova Scotia

Grand Passage Lighthouse Facts:

• Body of water:  Grand Passage
• Address: Northern Lighthouse (Grand Passage Lighthouse) Water Street, Westport, Nova Scotia
• Grand Passage Lighthouse is also referred to as Northern Lighthouse
• This lighthouse currently houses the Coast Guard lifeboat crew

6. Hampton Lighthouse

Hampton Lighthouse was built in 1911. It is a 33ft (10.05m) high, white wooden tower with its light standing 69ft (21.03m) above water level.

This is the first lighthouse in Canada to be passed to a community non-profit association and the second (in the Maritimes) to be passed over for $1.00 (just one loonie) under the 96-1 Directive.

This next video shows the Hampton Lighthouse in Nova Scotia.

Video of the Hampton Lighthouse in Nova Scotia

Hampton Lighthouse Facts:

• Body of water:  Bay of Fundy
• Address: 66 Hampton Wharf Road, Bridgetown, Nova Scotia

7. Margaretsville Lighthouse

The Margaretsville Lighthouse was built in 1859. The tower stands at 22ft (6.70m) high, with its light 30ft (9.14m) above water level.

This is one of the first lighthouses along the (Nova Scotia) coast of the Bay of Fundy. Before Margaretsville, there were only 6 or 7 in operation.

In this short video, you’ll see the Margaretsville Lighthouse, the surrounding shoreline, and homes.

Drone video of the Margaretsville Lighthouse in Nova Scotia

Margaretsville Lighthouse Facts:

• Address: 8 Lighthouse Road, Margaretsville,  Nova Scotia

Interesting fact:  When this light was first built it burned kerosene, 7 gallons per month in the summer and 12 gallons per month in the winter. The 8 red lamps and their brass reflectors had to be cleaned and polished every day.

8. Point Prim Lighthouse, Digby Neck

Point Prim Lighthouse was built in 1817. That first light was replaced in 1875.

In 1964, the second light was replaced with a concrete lighthouse. The tower is 25ft (7.62m) high with the light standing 80ft (24.38m) above water level.

The following video shows the Point Prim Lighthouse and the surrounding landscape.

Point Prim Lighthouse Facts:

• Address: 1417 Lighthouse Road, Digby,  Nova Scotia

9. Port George Lighthouse

Port George Lighthouse was built in 1888. It is a square wooden tower. It was originally built at the end of a wharf.

During a storm in the 1930’s (which destroyed the remaining part of a deteriorating wharf) a group of local men rescued the lighthouse.

They moved it to its present location along the side of Shore Road.

Port George Lighthouse Facts:

• County:  Annapolis
• Address: Shore Road E, Middleton,  Nova Scotia

Interesting fact:  About 2 km (1.3 mi) past the lighthouse (west) there is a small provincial picnic park. Learn more about things to do in Port George .

Cape Breton Lighthouses (7)

Here are 7 Cape Breton lighthouses, including the first lighthouse in Canada .

While there are other lighthouses in Cape Breton, we didn’t include them because many have limited access or are on private property.

These are the lighthouses you’ll learn about:

• Balache Point Range
• Gabarus Lighthouse
• Jerome Point Lighthouse
• Louisbourg Lighthouse
• Low Point Lighthouse
• Mabou Lighthouse
• Neil Harbour Lighthouse

If you don’t see your favourite Cape Breton lighthouse, please let us know and we’ll try to include it.

1. Balache Point Range Lighthouse, Canso Causeway

The Balache Point Range Lighthouse was built in 1963. Its light is 46ft (14.02m) above water level.

This lighthouse is beside a cemetery on a small grassy knoll at the north end of the Canso Causeway. It is on the left just before you cross the bridge to Cape Breton.

The following video shows the lighthouse and some of the surrounding landscape.

Video of The Balache Point Range Lighthouse in Cape Breton Nova Scotia

Balache Point Range Lighthouse Facts:

• County:  Inverness
• Region: Cape Breton Island
• Body of water:  Strait of Canso
• Scenic Route: Ceilidh Trail
• Address: Balache Point Range Lighthouse, Port Hastings, Nova Scotia

2. Gabarus Lighthouse

Gabarus Lighthouse was built in 1890. The Light sits at 47ft (14.32m) above water level.

In November 2015, this 22-tonne, 125-year-old lighthouse was moved 40ft (12.19m) away from the eroding shoreline.

In this short video, you’ll see the Gabarus Lighthouse and the surrounding landscape.

Gabarus Lighthouse Facts:

• County:  CBRM
• Body of water:  Gabarus Bay
• Scenic Route: Fleur de lis Trail
• Address:  128 Harbour Point Road, Gabarus, Nova Scotia

Interesting fact:  It took 3 years to raise enough money to have the lighthouse moved.

3. Jerome Point Lighthouse, St. Peter’s

Jerome Point Lighthouse was built in 1883. It is a white wooden tower with a red lantern.

This lighthouse is located in Battery Provincial Park and is surrounded by lawns and wooded areas.

This light serves as a guide into St Peter’s Canal.

Jerome Point Lighthouse Facts:

• County:  Richmond
• Body of water:  St. Peter’s Bay
• Address: Jerome Point, St Peter’s, Nova Scotia

Interesting fact: St. Peter’s Canal is North America’s oldest operating tidal lock.

4. Louisbourg Lighthouse

Louisbourg Lighthouse became operational in 1734. It was a stone tower 66ft (20.11m) high. The current Lighthouse was built in 1923 and is made of concrete.

This was the first lighthouse in Canada and the   second on the North American Continent.

The following video shows the Louisbourg Lighthouse and the surrounding landscape.

Louisbourg Lighthouse Facts:

• Body of water:  Louisbourg Harbour
• Scenic Route : Marconi Trail
• Address: 555 Havenside Road, Louisbourg, Nova Scotia

Interesting facts: 

• The Louisbourg Lighthouse is in one of Canada’s historic sites – the Fortress of Louisbourg
• You can still see some of the rubble from the original lighthouse tower at this site

5. Low Point Lighthouse, New Victoria

Low Point Lighthouse was built in 1832, it was a wooden tower with its light standing 75ft (22.86m) above water level.

That lighthouse was replaced by the current concrete tower in 1938. Its light stands 78ft (23.77m) above water level.

The following video shows the Low Point Lighthouse and its surrounding landscape.

Video of Low Point Lighthouse in Cape Breton Nova Scotia

Low Point Lighthouse Facts:

• County:  CBRM
• Body of water: Sydney Harbour
• Scenic Route: Marconi Trail
• Address: 56 Lighthouse Rd, New Victoria, Nova Scotia

Interesting fact: The Low Point Lighthouse has the only remaining circular lantern in Nova Scotia.

6. Mabou Lighthouse

The Mabou Lighthouse was built in 1884, its tower was 37ft (11.27m) high. It has been restored by the Coast Guard and now stands at 47ft (14.32m).

The next video shows the Mabou Lighthouse and the surrounding landscape.

Video of the Mabou Lighthouse in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia

Mabou Lighthouse Facts:

• Body of water: Mabou Harbour
• Address: Mabou Lighthouse, Mabou Harbour, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia
• This lighthouse is now the Mabou Harbour Museum and Tourist Center
• It’s near coastal hiking trails and Mabou Provincial Picnic Park

7. Neil Harbour Lighthouse

Neil Harbour Lighthouse was built in 1899. Its light stands 73ft (22.25m) above water level.

This lighthouse is found near Cape Breton Highlands National Park. It’s a popular tourist destination.

Neil Harbour Lighthouse Facts:

• County:  Victoria
• Body of water:  Neil’s Harbour
• Scenic Route: Cabot Trail
• Address: Neil Harbour Lighthouse, Lighthouse Road, Neils Harbour,  Nova Scotia

Interesting fact:  In the summer there is an ice cream stand in the lighthouse.

Eastern Shore Lighthouses (2)

We cover 2 lighthouses on the Eastern Shore:

• Port Bickerton

There are others on the Eastern Shore but they are on land that is private property or has limited access.

If you know of a lighthouse that should be included please let us know in the comments at the end of the post.

1. Port Bickerton Lighthouse, Fishermans Harbour

Port Bickerton Lighthouse was built in 1901 and was replaced in 1930. The second lighthouse is now the Nova Scotia Lighthouse Interpretive Center. It is open to the public.

A concrete lighthouse tower was built in 1962 and serves as the current Port Bickerton lighthouse.

The following video shows the Port Bickerton Lighthouse and the Interpretive Center. You’ll also see the landscape around the lighthouse.

Drone Video of the Port Bickerton Lighthouse in Nova Scotia

Port Bickerton Lighthouse Facts:

• County:  Guysborough
• Region:  Eastern Shore
• Body of water:  Port Bickerton
• Scenic Route: Marine Drive
• Address: Lighthouse Road, Fishermans Harbour,  Nova Scotia

2. Queensport Lighthouse

Queensport Lighthouse was built in 1882. That lighthouse tower was replaced with the current lighthouse in 1937.

The Queensport Lighthouse can be seen from the mainland.

Queensport Lighthouse Facts:

• County:  Guysborough
• Body of water:  Chedabucto Bay
• Scenic Route:  Marine Drive
• Address: Rook Island, Guysborough,  Nova Scotia

There is a lighthouse museum on the Eastern Shore. Out Of The Fog Museum houses many artifacts like lenses, period clothing, lightkeepers’ logbooks, fog horns, and more. It is located on Highway 316 in Halfway Cove near Queensport.

Fundy Shore Lighthouses (6)

We cover 6 Fundy Shore Lighthouses:

• Burntcoat Head Lighthouse
• Cape d’Or Lighthouse
• Five Islands Lighthouse
• Port Greville Lighthouse
• Spencer’s Island Lighthouse
• Walton Harbour Lighthouse

Now we’ll take a look at each one.

1. Burncoat Head Lighthouse, Noel

Burncoat Head Lighthouse became operational in 1858. The first Burncoat lighthouse was destroyed and a second one became operational in 1914. That lighthouse was destroyed by fire in 1972 and a replica was built in 1995.

The Burncoat Head Lighthouse replica is a museum and interpretive centre. Inside you can learn about the history of the area, Fundy tides, and lighthouses.

At the beginning of the following video, Burncoat Lighthouse is highlighted. The rest of the video talks about the tides in the Bay of Fundy.

Note: Burncoat is also known as Burntcoat,  and both refer to the same place.

Burncoat Head Lighthouse and Bay of Fundy Tides in Nova Scotia

Burncoat Head Lighthouse Facts:

• County:  Hants
• Region:  Fundy Shore
• Body of water:  Minas Basin
• Scenic Route: Glooscap Trail
• Address: Burncoat Road,  Noel, Nova Scotia

Interesting fact: Burncoat is known for having the highest recorded tides in the world.

2. Cape d’Or Lighthouse, Advocate Harbour

The Cape d’Or Lighthouse was built in 1922. It was a wooden tower with a light 62ft (18.89m) above water level.

That lighthouse was replaced in 1965 with a concrete tower, its light stands 79ft (24.07m) above water level.

The following video shows the Cape d’Or Lighthouse and the surrounding landscape.

Video of Cape d’Or Lighthouse in Nova Scotia

Cape d’Or Lighthouse Facts:

• County:  Cumberland
• Body of water: Minas Channel
• Scenic Route:  Glooscap Trail
• Address: Cape d’Or Road, Diligent, Nova Scotia
• There are a guesthouse and a restaurant next to the lighthouse.
• This is a nesting site for the Peregrine Falcon, you may see them during your visit.
• Plants that are often seen only in the Rocky Mountains at high altitudes grow on the cliffs around the lighthouse.

3. Five Islands Lighthouse

Five Islands Lighthouse was built in 1914. Because of erosion, the lighthouse was moved away from the water’s edge in 1952 and again in 1957. The erosion was so bad that the lighthouse had to be moved to a different location altogether.

It now stands on Broderick Lane (see map below). The tower is made out of wood and its light stands 43ft (13.10m) above water level.

The following video shows the Five Islands Lighthouse and some of the other tourist attractions on the Fundy Shore. The lighthouse is shown at the end of the video.

Video including the Five Islands Lighthouse in Nova Scotia

Five Islands Lighthouse Facts:

• County:  Colchester
• Region:  Fundy Shore
• Body of water:  Minas Channel
• Address: Broderick Lane, Five Islands, Nova Scotia

Interesting fact:

• This lighthouse sat at a campground from 1996 to 2008
• From its new location, there is an excellent view of Five Islands.

4. Port Greville Lighthouse

Port Greville Lighthouse was built in 1907. It was a wooden tower with a stone base. It now stands at the Age of Sail Heritage Center.

The following video shows the Age of Sail Heritage Centre and the Port Greville Lighthouse.

Video of the Age of Sail Museum and Port Greville Lighthouse

Port Greville Lighthouse Facts:

• Body of water: Greville Bay
• Address: 8334 NS-209, Port Greville, Nova Scotia

Interesting fact: In 1981 the lighthouse was cut in half, loaded onto a flatbed truck, and moved to the Coast Guard College in Sydney. In 1998, it was moved (in the same way) to its current location .

5. Spencer’s Island Lighthouse

Spencer’s Island Lighthouse was built in 1904. It is located in the Old Shipyard Beach Campground .

This light stands in its original location and has had renovations. It now houses a small museum that displays artifacts and photos of the ships built in local shipyards. The museum is open to the public in July and August.

Spencer’s Island Lighthouse Facts:

• Address: 774 Spencer’s Beach Road, Advocate Harbour, Nova Scotia

Interesting fact: The 2010 renovations were done by the great-grandson of the first Spencer’s Island lighthouse keeper.

6. Walton Harbour Lighthouse, Windsor

The Walton Harbour Lighthouse was built in 1873. It is a wooden tower with the light standing 60ft (18.28m) above water level.

The following video shows the Walton Harbour Lighthouse and the surrounding landscape.

Video of Walton Harbour Lighthouse in Nova Scotia

Walton Harbour Lighthouse Facts:

• County:  Hants
• Body of water:  Minas Basin
• Address: 119 Lorne Smith Road, Windsor, Nova Scotia

Halifax Lighthouses (3)

We cover 2 lighthouses in the Halifax area:

• Chebucto Head Lighthouse
• Maugher Beach Lighthouse
• Sambro Lighthouse

If there is another lighthouse in the Halifax area that you love to visit please let us know and we’ll try to include it.

1. Chebucto Head Lighthouse

The first Chebucto Head Lighthouse (a square wooden tower) was built in 1872. The tower was 22ft (6.70m) high with the light standing 132ft (40.23m) above water level. There have been 4 lighthouses at this location .

The current lighthouse was built in 1967. The tower is 45ft (13.71m) high with its light at 162ft (49.37) above water level.

The following video shows the Chebucto Head Lighthouse. You’ll also see the gorgeous coastline and surrounding landscape.

Video of the Chebucto Head Lighthouse in Halifax Nova Scotia

Chebucto Head Lighthouse Facts:

• County:  HRM
• Region:  Halifax Metro
• Body of water:  Halifax Harbour
• Scenic Route: Halifax/Dartmouth
• Address: 279 Duncans Cove Road, Duncans Cove Nova Scotia

Interesting fact:  Many people use this lighthouse as a landmark and come visit to pick berries and enjoy the view.

2. Maugher Beach Lighthouse

Maugher Beach Lighthouse was built (as a Martello tower) in 1814 and became operational as a lighthouse in 1828. Its light was 64ft (19.50m) above water level.

The current concrete tower was built in 1941 and its light stands 57ft (17.37m) above water level.

The following video shows McNabs Island (where Maugher Beach Lighthouse is found) and the lighthouse.

Video of McNabs Island and Maugher Beach Lighthouse in Nova Scotia

Maugher Beach Lighthouse Facts:

• County:  HRM
• Region:  Halifax Metro
• Address: Maugher Beach Lighthouse, McNabs Island, Nova Scotia

Interesting fact: This lighthouse was used by Abraham Gesner to test a new fuel he had invented to replace whale oil: kerosene.

3. Sambro Lighthouse

Sambro Lighthouse was built in 1758 and is still operational. It is the oldest functioning lighthouse in the Americas.

Its concrete tower is covered in wooden shingles to protect it from the elements.

The tower is 82ft (24.99m) tall and the light stands 140ft (42.67m) above water level.

Photo credit – The Sambro Lighthouse Heritage Society.

Sambro Lighthouse Facts:

• Body of water:  Sambro Channel
• Address: Sambro Island Lighthouse, Sambro, Nova Scotia

Interesting fact: Sambro Lighthouse has been referred to as “our very own statue of Liberty” because every ship coming into the Halifax Harbour has to pass it.

Read 19 Interesting Facts About Sambro Lighthouse

Northumberland Shore Lighthouses (3)

We cover 3 lighthouses on the Northumberland Shore:

• Cape George Point Lighthouse
• Caribou Island Lighthouse
• Coldspring Head Lighthouse

Let’s jump in and learn a little about each one.

1. Cape George Point Lighthouse

The Cape George Point Lighthouse was built in 1968, it was a light on top of a square wooden building. That was replaced by an octagonal wooden tower in 1908.

The current concrete lighthouse was built in 1968. The tower is 45ft (13.71m) high, with the light standing 404ft (123.13m) above water level.

The following video shows the lighthouse and the gorgeous view at Cape George Point.

Video of Cape George Point Lighthouse in Nova Scotia

Cape George Point Lighthouse Facts:

• County: Antigonish
• Region:  Northumberland Shore
• Body of water:  St. Georges Bay
• Scenic route:  Sunrise Trail
• Address: Cape George Point, Nova Scotia
• There is a lesser-known lighthouse in Cape Breton called Cape George Harbour Lighthouse , which is easily confused with this one, Cape George Point Lighthouse.
• On a clear day, you can see both Cape Breton and Prince Edward Island from this lighthouse.
• Cape George Point Lighthouse is located on St. George’s Bay – the largest bay in Nova Scotia.

2. Caribou Island Lighthouse

The Caribou Island Lighthouse was built in 1868. The original tower was replaced in 1916, and then between 1968 and 1970, the current concrete tower was built. Its light stands 44ft (13.41m) above water level.

Caribou Island Lighthouse Facts:

• County:  Pictou
• Body of water:  Caribou Channel
• Address: Lobster Cove Lane, Northport, Nova Scotia
• Caribou Island is not an island, it’s a long piece of land jutting out into the Northumberland Strait.
• From the beach next to the lighthouse, you can see the ferry that travels between Caribou Island and Wood Island.

3. Coldspring Head Lighthouse

The Coldspring Head Lighthouse was built in 1890. Its wooden tower is 36ft (10.97m) high and its light stands 60ft (18.28m) above water level.

The following video shows Coldspring Head Lighthouse and the surrounding landscape.

Video of Coldspring Head Lighthouse Nova Scotia

Coldspring Head Lighthouse Facts:

• County:  Cumberland
• Body of water:  St. Georges Bay

Interesting fact: Near this lighthouse, at Northport, there is a provincial park. The beach at Northport is on the Northumberland Strait which enjoys some of the warmest waters north of the Carolinas. Take advantage of the warm water in the tidal pools at low tide.

The Northumberland Fisheries Museum is located 71 Front Street in Pictou Nova Scotia. It is a scale replica of a lighthouse and dwelling from the early 20th century. The Museum houses over 2500 artifacts, among them, is the Rip Irwin 6ft (1.82m) animated lighthouse map. There is a replica bedroom and lamp room on the second floor. The third floor is where you’ll see the light and take in the view.

  South Shore Lighthouses (7)

We cover five lighthouses on the South Shore of Nova Scotia:

• Baccaro Point Lighthouse
• Fort Point Lighthouse
• Medway Head Lighthouse
• Peggys Cove Lighthouse
• Seal Island Light Museum
• Terence Bay Lighthouse
• Western Head Lighthouse

While the Seal Island Light Museum is not a functioning lighthouse we include it as one because it contains the original Seal Island Lighthouse lantern.

Let’s take a closer look at each of the South Shore Lighthouses.

1. Baccaro Point Lighthouse

The Baccaro Point Lighthouse stands at Baccaro Point which is the most southerly point on mainland Nova Scotia . It was built in the 1850s.

The first light ( Baccaro Point I ) became operational in 1851 and stood at 49ft (14.93m) (including Light height) above water level.

After the Baccaro Point I Lighthouse was destroyed by fire, it was replaced with the Baccaro Point II in 1934. It stands at 52ft (15.84m) (including light height) above water level.

In the following video, you’ll see the Baccaro Point Lighthouse from all angles.

Drone Video of Baccaro Point Lighthouse in Nova Scotia

Baccaro Point Lighthouse Facts:

• County: Shelburne
• Region: South Shore
• Body of water: Barrington Bay
• Scenic route:  Lighthouse Route
• Address: 39 Lighthouse Road, Lower East Pubnico

2. Fort Point Lighthouse

The Fort Point Lighthouse is the fourth oldest remaining light in Nova Scotia . It was built in 1855. It’s a 17-foot wooden tower with the light standing 30ft (9.14m) above water level.

This lighthouse has a unique shape, it is referred to as being “hunchbacked” . It stands on a historic site near the center of town.

The following video shows the Fort Point Lighthouse and historic site.

Fort Point Lighthouse in Liverpool, Nova Scotia

Fort Point Lighthouse Facts:

• County:  Queens
• Body of water:  Liverpool Harbour
• Address: Fort Point Road, Hunts Point, Liverpool Nova Scotia

3. Medway Head Lighthouse

The first Medway Head Lighthouse was built in 1851. Its tower was 23ft (7.01m) high and its light stood at 44ft (13.41m) above water level.

This lighthouse has been replaced four times. The current tower was built in 1983 and is made of wood. The pepper-shaker-shaped tower is 29ft (8.83m) high.

This video shows the Medway Head Lighthouse and the surrounding coastline.

Medway Head Lighthouse in Port Medway Nova Scotia

Medway Head Lighthouse Facts:

• Body of water: Port Medway Harbour
• Address:  Medway Head Lighthouse, Long Cove Road, Port Medway, Nova Scotia

4. Peggys Cove (Peggys Point) Lighthouse

Peggys Cove Lighthouse is officially called Peggys Point Lighthouse . It is one of the most popular Nova Scotia Lighthouses.

It is said to be one of the most photographed lighthouses in the world.

The first lighthouse at this location was built in 1868 and was a wooden building. It was 26ft (7.92m) high with the light standing 65ft (19.81m) above water level.

In 1915, a concrete tower was built. It stands 50ft (15.24m) high with its light at 67ft (20.42m) above water level.

In this next video, you’ll get a glimpse of the beauty of Peggys Cove Lighthouse and why so many people (tourists and locals) visit it.

Peggys Cove (Peggys Point) Lighthouse Video

Peggy’s Cove Lighthouse Facts:

• Body of water:  St. Margaret’s Bay
• Address:  Peggy’s Point Lighthouse, 185 Peggy’s Point Road, Peggys Cove, Nova Scotia

Warning: The waves at this lighthouse are very dangerous. Many have been swept into the sea (and to their death) because they stand too close to the edge of the rocks. Especially during storms the waters surge and waves are unpredictable. Visitors are told to stay off the black rocks at all times.

5. Seal Island Light Museum

The Seal Island Light Museum was constructed in 1978.  Its top half is a replica of the Seal Island Lighthouse and contains the original Seal Island lantern.

Inside you can see memorabilia and equipment from the Cape Sable and Barrington area. You’ll learn about the history of lighthouses on Cape Sable Island, Seal Island, and Bon Portage. You can also climb the stairs to see the only Fresnel Lens in Nova Scotia and the original clockwork mechanism.

Seal Island Light Museum Facts:

• County:  Shelburne
• Body of water:  Barrington Bay
• Address: 2422 Hwy 3, Barrington, Nova Scotia

6. Terence Bay Lighthouse

There was a temporary light erected at Terence Bay after the sinking of the SS Atlantic in 1873. That light was replaced in 1885 with a white wooden tower.

The current Terence Bay Lighthouse is 26ft (7.92m) high with a light 48ft (14.63m) above water level.

Terence Bay Lighthouse Facts:

• Body of water:  Terence Bay
• Address: Terence Bay Road, Terence Bay, Nova Scotia

7. Western Head Lighthouse

Western Head Lighthouse is a concrete tower that was built in 1962. Its light stands 64ft (19.50m) above water level.

The following video shows the Western Head Lighthouse and some of the surrounding landscape.

Video of Western Head Lighthouse in Nova Scotia

Western Head Lighthouse Facts:

• County:  Queens
• Body of water:  Liverpool Bay
• Address: 141 Breakwater Road, Liverpool, Nova Scotia

Interesting fact:  Before the days of automation, the lighthouse keeper often couldn’t open the front door because the winds were so strong.

Yarmouth & Acadian Shore Lighthouses (4)

Here are four lighthouses on the Yarmouth and Acadian Shore.

• Abbotts Harbour Lighthouse
• Belliveau Cove Lighthouse
• Cape Forchu Lighthouse
• Cape St. Marys Lighthouse

One of them was referred to as the “apple core” when the original tower was replaced. See if you can pick it out based on shape. Check the “interesting facts” at the end of each lighthouse and you’ll find the answer.

1. Abbotts Harbour Lighthouse

The Abbotts Harbour Lighthouse was built in 1922.

This lighthouse was built on private property, so when the Department of Fisheries and Oceans wanted to pass it over to the community it needed to be moved.

In 2004, it was cut into 3 pieces and moved on the back of a flatbed truck to Le Village Historique in West Pubnico.

Abbotts Harbour Lighthouse Facts:

• County:  Yarmouth
• Region:  Yarmouth and Acadian Shore
• Body of water:  Lobster Bay
• Address: Old Church Road, Argyle, Nova Scotia

2. Belliveau Cove Lighthouse

Belliveau Cove Lighthouse was built in 1889. It is a wooden tower with a light 24ft (7.31m) above water level.

This lighthouse sits at the end of a wharf.

Belliveau Cove Lighthouse Facts:

• County:  Yarmouth
• Body of water:  Lobster Bay
• Scenic route:  Evangeline Trail
• Address:  Hwy 1, Clare, Nova Scotia

Interesting fact:  Near the lighthouse, you’ll find a small community park with parking and picnic tables. There is also a 5 km (3 mi) walking trail that takes you along the shoreline and through coastal wetlands.

3. Cape Forchu Lighthouse

Cape Forchu Lighthouse is the second most popular among Nova Scotia Lighthouses.

It became operational in 1840 and was a wooden tower with a light 117ft (35.66m) above water level.

The wooden tower was replaced by the current concrete one in 1962. Its light stands 123ft (37.49m) above water level.

This is the second most-photographed lighthouse in Nova Scotia (the first is Peggys Cove).

The following video shows the Cape Forchu Lighthouse and its surrounding landscape.

Video of the Cape Forchu Lighthouse in Nova Scotia

Cape Forchu Lighthouse Facts:

• Region:  Yarmouth and Acadian Shore
• Scenic route:  Evangeline Trail and Lighthouse Route (both begin in Yarmouth)
• Address: Cape Forchu Lighthouse, Yarmouth, Nova Scotia
• This was the first lighthouse in Canada to be passed over to a municipality by the federal government under the 96-1 arrangement.
• When the first wooden tower was replaced by the concrete tower it was referred to as the “apple core” for almost 10 years. But when locals realized that tourists continued to flock to it, they began calling it the “Old Yarmouth Light” again.
• This is the only intact light-station  open to the public in Nova Scotia. The big keeper’s house is now a museum and the smaller one is a gift shop.

4. Cape St. Marys Lighthouse

Cape St. Mary’s Lighthouse was built in 1868. It was a concrete tower with its light 100ft (30.48m) above water level.

The current lighthouse is a square concrete tower. Its tower is 104ft (31.69m) above water level.

The following video shows the sun setting at Cape St Mary Lighthouse.

Video of Sunset at Cape St. Marys Lighthouse in Nova Scotia

Cape St Marys Lighthouse Facts:

• Address: Lighthouse Road, Church Point, Nova Scotia

Interesting fact: Mavillette Beach Provincial Park is near Cape St. Marys Light.

What’s Your Lighthouse Story? 

Are you planning your next trip to Nova Scotia? Or looking for your next backyard adventure? We want to hear from you!

Please share with us by commenting on this page.

Tell us about your favourite lighthouse. If there’s a lighthouse we’ve missed let us know in the comment section. And we’ll try to add it.

As you visit Nova Scotia Lighthouses remember that they are often close to the shore , or a cliff leading down to the shore. These areas can be dangerous , especially for young children. Some of the lighthouses also have foghorns which can be startling or painful for those sensitive to loud noises.

Please remember to share this page with your friends, tweet it, pin it and share it on Facebook.

I’d like to say thanks to the Nova Lighthouse Preservation Society (SLPS). In writing this article I used information from their site, along with many other sources.

While you’re visiting these lighthouses – be sure to check out this huge set of Nova Scotia beaches , scattered all over the province.

Hi, I'm Dena Haines . And I'm co-founder of Storyteller Travel . I love to cover food, animals, and destinations around the world.

I also blog about photography at Storyteller Tech .

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You missed Port George, Anna. Co. Nova Scotia Lighthouse. My father & grandfather before him lit that light for many years. I would love to see it on the Nova Scotia Lighthouses.

Hi Gertie, thanks for mentioning the Port George lighthouse. It’s actually already on the list – it’s #9 and a favorite of ours. It is a beautiful spot and we covered the area in this post about things to do in Port George . Thanks for sharing some of your family history of the area.

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I see no reference to the lighthouses on Brier Island – I do see Western Light, but not sure it is the West Light on Brier Island. Brier Island, Long Island, and the Digby Neck have several lighthouses, and is one of the BEST scenic drives in Nova Scotia – not to mention the magnificent whale watching charters from these islands, that take you out into the Fundy to see the most spectacular whales in the world! You have but to come eyeball to eyeball with a 50 to whale to realize the place of humans in the world at large… we are but a speck of dust compared to the wonders that lay beneath our seas… St. Peters Light can be seen off Brier Island – but the other 2 lighthouses are accessible by car and foot on the Island, and on Long Island, as well as the Neck… (Digby Neck)…

Thanks for the addition Leo. A few to check out later this summer.

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The Best Lighthouses in Nova Scotia to Visit

Last Updated on April 20, 2023

Nova Scotia is known for idyllic, sweeping coastal scenery that is nothing short of majestic. Accompanying those seascape views are lighthouses, which are not only picturesque, but also an important part of Nova Scotia’s maritime history. There are currently more than 150 lighthouses in Nova Scotia with the first one dating back to the 1730’s. Lighthouses have been used for hundreds of years to guide ships safely into harbours at night and during bad weather and to warn them of danger.

Keep on reading to find out which lighthouses you should visit as you road trip around Nova Scotia.

Table of Contents

Cape Forchu Lighthouse

One of the most well known lighthouses in Nova Scotia is the Cape Forchu Lighthouse, located on the province’s southwestern tip. This historic lighthouse has been guiding vessels coming and going from Yarmouth Harbour since the mid-nineteenth century. Today, visitors flock here for the scenic harbour and idyllic landscape.

The Cape Forchu Lighthouse is the only lighthouse in Nova Scotia where visitors can get a tour of the lantern room. To climb the 77 steps to the top of the lighthouse, you can book a guided tour online in advance.

Once at the top you will be able to see 360 degree views of the cape and harbour. The sunsets and stargazing are well worth your time from around the lighthouse as well. This lighthouse is a stop on the Evangeline Trail, which is a scenic roadway in Nova Scotia.

The distance from Halifax to Cape Forchu is 312 kms (about 194 miles), with an estimated driving time of about three and a half hours.

Seal Island Lighthouse

Also located in southern Nova Scotia is the Seal Island Lighthouse. Built in the mid-nineteenth century, this lighthouse was constructed to help guide those at sea through the especially treacherous terrain in the area.

The Seal Island Lighthouse is situated on an island, which makes it difficult to travel to. There is another option for seeing the lighthouse in a different way however, which is the Seal Island Light Museum in Barrington. This museum was built in 1978 as a duplicate of the lighthouse, and it imitates the top half of the tower. You can view the lighthouse equipment, and various items that highlight the history of the fishing and sailing industry in the area and the lights on nearby islands.

Adorning the top of the Seal Island Light Museum is a cast iron lantern from the original lighthouse. A fun feature of the museum is that you can climb the iron stairs to the third floor, and look at the initial clockwork structure and the Second Order Fresnel Lens from the original lighthouse.

The Seal Island Light Museum is part of the Lighthouse Route, which is a scenic roadway that hugs the south shore. Several of the lighthouses in this article are part of this route.

The distance from Halifax to the Seal Island Light Museum is about 240 kms (around 150 miles). That is an estimated driving time of just over 2 hours and 30 minutes.

Cape Sable Lighthouse

The Cape Sable Lighthouse is Nova Scotia’s tallest lighthouse, clocking in at 101 feet tall. Located in southern Nova Scotia it is also the third tallest lighthouse in all of Canada.

The origin of the Cape Sable Lighthouse stems from somber roots. Due to a significant number of lives lost at sea in the Cape Sable area due to the harsh territory, the first lighthouse was erected in the mid-nineteenth century. A distinctive feature of the tower was red lights, in addition to white lights, to help guide vessels appropriately. In the mid-twentieth century, the current Cape Sable lighthouse was built. This tower was made of reinforced concrete, so it would hold up to the strong weather conditions in the area.

The Cape Sable Lighthouse is somewhat difficult to get to, as it is located on the island of Cape Sable. (Not to be confused with nearby Cape Sable Island.) A great way to see the lighthouse is from the nearby Hawk Beach on the mainland. Take a stroll on the white sand beach and enjoy the beautiful views of the lighthouse in the distance. If you’re a bird lover, you’re in luck because this beach is also a great place for bird-watching.

The distance from Halifax to Cape Sable lighthouse is about 261 kms (around 163 miles), making for an almost 3 hour drive. Additionally, this lighthouse is part of the Lighthouse Route.

How to Get to the Cape Sable Lighthouse

You can hire a local fisherman to take you by boat to the island for the day. Look for posted signs around the area for who to contact. Also on the second Saturday of every August the community celebrates Cape Days and volunteers offer free boat rides to and from the island. Once there you can explore the island, enjoy the beaches, look for roaming sheep and visit the lighthouse. During Cape Days there are also outhouses available on the island and hotdogs and drinks for sale as well.

Peggy’s Cove Lighthouse

Get your camera ready for the next lighthouse on the list. Peggy’s Cove Lighthouse is one of the world’s most photographed lighthouses. This lighthouse is in the small fishing community of Peggy’s Cove and the lighthouse is also known as Peggy’s Point Lighthouse. The lighthouse is intended to signal the point, rather than the cove. Specifically, the lighthouse also signals the eastern entrance to St. Margaret’s Bay.

The current tower was constructed in the early-twentieth century. The story behind how the lighthouse and cove got its name is vague, but some ideas suggest the origin comes from an early settler or shipwreck survivor named Margaret or Peggy.

Great news for visitors to the lighthouse is that there is a newly constructed viewing deck, perfect for stunning views of the tower and surrounding landscape. This new space also creates a much more accessible area and way to view the lighthouse and includes upgraded restrooms for visitors.

While you’re there, stop by the Sou’Wester restaurant for their famous gingerbread. And if you’d like a souvenir to remember your visit, they also have a gift shop. Grab a lobster roll from Tom’s Lobster shack. Or other great dining options nearby are the Rhubarb restaurant or Shaw’s Landing.

Peggy’s Cove Lighthouse is also part of the Lighthouse Route. The distance from Halifax to Peggy’s Cove Lighthouse is about 45 km (28 miles), which is just over 45 minutes driving time.

Cape D’Or Lighthouse

The Cape D’Or lighthouse is located in Advocate Harbour, Nova Scotia overlooking the Bay of Fundy home to the highest tides in the world. The lighthouse helps guide ships into the Minas Basin and keeps them away from the rocky shoreline and basalt cliffs.

The first warning signal located here was actually a steam fog whistle and was placed there in 1874. Later in 1922 the first lighthouse was built at this location. Today there is a lighthouse and two lighthouse keepers buildings. What makes this lighthouse so unique is that one of the keepers buildings has been converted into a 4 room B&B open May to November. The other is a restaurant called the Lightkeeper’s Kitchen open June to October.

This is the only lighthouse in Nova Scotia where you can spend the night. To guarantee your stay book ahead of time by calling or emailing them and know that they accept cash only. Visit their website HERE .

The Cape D’Or lighthouse is located a 3 hour drive from Halifax or 232km (144 miles).

Point Prim Lighthouse

The Point Prim Lighthouse marks the entryway for the Digby Gut channel in south western Nova Scotia. Not to be confused with the Point Prim Lighthouse on eastern Prince Edward Island. Located on the edge of a cliff, surrounded by a forest and rocky coast. This setting makes for some absolutely incredible views.

Initially the light at this location was just a bonfire and a man who would fire off a musket as a warning signal. Then in 1817 the first lighthouse structure was built here. In 1887 the lighthouse keeper at Point Prim was Captain William E. Ellis and this is where he invented the first automatic foghorn.

When you visit the Point Prim Lighthouse, you will see fishing boats in the water, as well as the Fundy Rose Ferry passing by. There’s also a variety of wildlife, including birds, seals, and even whales. At the lighthouse there is a small park with a parking lot. You can also take a short hike along the trail to get stunning views of the landscape.

Along with the Cape Forchu Lighthouse, the Point Prim Lighthouse is a stop on the Evangeline Trail.

The distance from Halifax to the Point Prim Lighthouse is about 230 kms (almost 144 miles). A two and a half hour drive.

Louisbourg Lighthouse

Located on the eastern side of Cape Breton Island, the Louisbourg Lighthouse is perched on the edge of the Louisbourg Harbour.

Louisbourg is historically significant in lighthouse history. The first lighthouse built here was the first in Canada and the second lighthouse in all of North America. The first Louisbourg Lighthouse was built in the mid-eighteenth century however, it was later harmed by a fire, as well as crossfire during a siege on the fortress. The second lighthouse was built in the mid-nineteenth century, but it was taken out by a fire in 1922 and the third which is the current one, was constructed in 1923.

When visiting this tower, check out the Louisbourg Lighthouse Trail. It starts at the lighthouse, and as you hike along there are educational markers and fantastic views. Be sure to hike with a friend or a walking stick as there are coyotes in the area. Also nearby is Kennelly’s Day Use Area, which is a great place for a picnic and bird-watching.

The Louisbourg Lighthouse is located just under a five hour drive 432km (268 miles) from Halifax.

Marache Point Lighthouse

Situated near Cape Auget on Isle Madame is the Marache Point Lighthouse. Isle Madame is an island located off the southeastern part of Cape Breton Island.

In the mid-nineteenth century, merchants and ship-owners requested that lighthouses be built to signal the southern and western entrances to the Arichat Harbour. A few years later, the first lighthouse was constructed, becoming the Marache Point Lighthouse.

Arguably, the best thing about visiting the Marache Point Lighthouse is the beautiful sunsets.

The Marache Point Lighthouse is 320km (198miles) which is a 3 and a half hours drive from Halifax.

George’s Island Lighthouse In The Halifax Harbour

The George’s Island Lighthouse is located in the middle of the Halifax harbour in downtown Halifax on George’s Island. For the best views of this lighthouse take a stroll along the Halifax waterfront boardwalk. Or if you want to get a bit closer then take a boat tour to George’s Island National Historic Site with Parks Canada and Ambassatours. Once you get to the island, take a tour of the tunnels, explore Fort Charlotte, and enjoy the city views. Be sure to take a picnic to enjoy as well!

When the first lighthouse was constructed in 1876, it’s purpose was to direct vessels entering and leaving the Halifax Harbour. This lighthouse was later destroyed by a fire in the early-twentieth century. The current lighthouse was built in 1917 and it’s design was intended to mimic that of the Louisbourg lighthouse in Cape Breton.

Sandy Point Lighthouse

Situated on the south shore of Nova Scotia in the town of Shelburne is the Sandy Point Lighthouse. The first lighthouse in this area was built in the late-nineteenth century, and it was constructed on a pier. Unfortunately, the initial lighthouse burned down, and a new lighthouse was built to replace it in the early-twentieth century. That came to be the current Sandy Point Lighthouse, nestled on the eastern entrance to the Shelburne Harbour out in the water at the edge of a sand bar.

The Sandy Point Lighthouse is a tapered tower made of wood. When the tide is low, you can actually walk right up to the lighthouse from across the sand bar. Near the lighthouse, there is a beach, as well as a community centre that has snacks and refreshments. Arguably, the best time to come here is in the summer when the water is warm for swimming.

The distance between Halifax and the Sandy Point Lighthouse is about 217km (around 135 miles), which is about a two and a half hour drive. This lighthouse is also part of the Lighthouse Route.

Baccaro Lighthouse

The Baccaro Lighthouse is located on the south shore by Barrington Bay. In fact, Baccaro is the southernmost point of mainland Nova Scotia. This lighthouse was built in the mid-nineteenth century. To visually distinguish it from nearby lighthouses, three black circles were painted on separate panels of the building.

Today, this tower is right by the edge of the ocean overlooking a rocky shore, looking out to sea. Also, the area where the lighthouse is located is a well known location in Nova Scotia to watch seabirds.

The distance between Halifax and the Baccaro Point Lighthouse is about 257 kms (around 160 miles), which is about a 2 hour and 50 minute drive. And like several other towers on this list, the Baccaro Point Lighthouse is part of the Lighthouse Route.

Bonus Lighthouse: The Pomquet Island Lighthouse

Perched on Pomquet Island is the fittingly named Pomquet Island Lighthouse. This lighthouse is located near Pomquet Point by Bayfield, which is the northern part of mainland Nova Scotia.

This short, white lighthouse was erected in the mid-nineteenth century and my ( Cailin ) great grandfather used to be the lighthouse keeper. My grandmother grew up at the lighthouse and either took a row boat to school or a sleigh over the ice in winter.

While you’re in the area, check out Bayfield Beach Provincial Park. This is a nice place to get out and explore while you’re in the vicinity of the lighthouse. Pomquet is also a small Acadian village full of history.

The distance from Halifax to the Pomquet Island Lighthouse is about 236 kms (nearly 147 miles). A almost two and a half hour drive.

Lighthouse AirBnB Five Islands, Nova Scotia

If you want to stay in an actual lighthouse that unfortunately isn’t a current available option in Nova Scotia. However you can stay in an AirBnB that was built to look like a lighthouse. Thats close enough! Check out the Unique Lighthouse with Hot tub in Five Islands NS on AirBnB HERE . This is a three story lighthouse shaped building that sleeps four. There is a full kitchen, bathroom and dining area on the main floor. On the second floor is the main bedroom and a washer and dryer. On the third floor is a couch that turns into a bed, TV and 360 degrees views of the area. Outside there is also a nice deck and hot tub with great views as well.

If you do want to stay in an actual lighthouse however check out the West Point Lighthouse Inn & Museum in Prince Edward Island. Check it out HERE. W

For the most detailed map of Nova Scotian Lighthouses visit the Nova Scotia Lighthouse Preservation Society website .

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Cailin is a born and raised Nova Scotian with a passion for exploring the world and her home province.

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Great article! I have been to Nova Scotia once before and am visiting again this summer. I am a lighthouse and waterfall enthusiast. Thanks for the tips in your article. I would love to see the Pomquet Island Lighthouse, but looks like it isn’t visible from the mainland. There are so many lighthouses in N.S. that it is hard to narrow it down. Thanks for the info!

I tried getting a peak of Pomquet this summer but there was a big wall of rocks creating a breakwater kind of blocking the view unfortunately. I’d love to be able to visit the island some day though!

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My Favourite things in Nova Scotia 2022

Recent posts.

• Winter in Western, Newfoundland
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Last Updated on April 20, 2023 by Cailin

Nova Scotia to spend more than $600K to study light-rail service in Cape Breton

Ndp leader describes the plan as 'magical thinking'.

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The provincial government is promising $610,000 in funding to study the feasibility of a light-rail service in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality.

A government  news release on Friday said the study will be led by Cape Breton University and will incorporate the existing rail corridor and infrastructure. 

The announcement came a day after Economic Development Minister Susan Corkum Greek announced the government was ending a decades-long subsidy paid for unused Cape Breton railway lines.

Genesee & Wyoming, the sole owners of the line when trains stopped running in 2015, said there was not enough business at the time to justify the service. CN Rail bought a stake in Genesee & Wyoming last fall.

• Nova Scotia government ends decades-long subsidy for disused Cape Breton rail line

The province has spent more than $18 million in subsidies over the last 20 years propping up the Cape Breton line.

15 weeks to complete

Cape Breton engineer Dan MacDonald will be in charge of the study. He says it should be completed in 15 weeks.

Speaking to Mainstreet Cape Breton, MacDonald said, if successful, the first phase of the project would run from Sydney River to the university campus with several stops in between.

He said the existing abandoned rail lines may need upgrades and repairs.

Reacting to the announcement, Nova Scotia Liberal Leader Zach Churchill said it is an attempt "to put the fire out" following adverse reactions to the government's plan to end the subsidy.

"This is another example of them … scrambling and trying to right a wrong that they made because, again, they don't do their homework," Churchill said.

Describing the proposal as "magical thinking," Nova Scotia NDP leader Claudia Chender said investing in buses, planning and the labour force could bring real results to Cape Breton Transit tomorrow.

"This is some kind of stunt and a nice cheque for CBU," Chender said. "And, in the meantime, Cape Breton is losing their rail track."

• With eclipse in sight, Carly Simon talks name-dropping Nova Scotia in You're So Vain
• Video 'What were you wearing?' exhibit confronts sexual assault myths
• Queer Interfaith Coalition co-founded by N.S. rabbi aims to fight 2SLGBTQ+ hate
• Karla MacFarlane announces retirement from Nova Scotia politics
• N.S. salmon operation in receivership after equipment failure

With files from Mainstreet Cape Breton, David Burke and Tom Ayers

Watch CBS News

Why do total solar eclipses happen? Learn what will cause today's celestial show.

By Emily Mae Czachor

Updated on: April 8, 2024 / 12:20 PM EDT / CBS News

A total solar eclipse takes shape today, April 8, when an overlap between the sun and the moon is expected to darken daylight skies over parts of North America and ask awestruck Earthlings to briefly reckon with their place in the universe. It will mark the United States' first total solar eclipse since August 2017 , although experts say this upcoming astral event could prove to be even more impressive than the last. 

Here's what to know about total solar eclipses and why they occur.

What exactly is a solar eclipse?

Eclipses of all types are caused by an alignment in space between the sun, moon and Earth. Their precise choreography results in one celestial body obscuring another, and, depending on whether the moon is positioned on the side of Earth nearest the sun or farthest from it, the moon either casts its shadow onto Earth or vice versa. During a lunar eclipse, like the one that appeared over much of the Western hemisphere in late March, all three align with Earth sandwiched in between. That sometimes allows people to watch as a shadow of the planet, backlit by the sun's rays, moves across the moon's surface.

Their alignment is switched during a solar eclipse. The moon, while orbiting Earth, passes between the planet and the sun in such a way that it appears to cross directly in front of the star, temporarily blocking its light from view. With the sun behind it, a shadow of the moon is cast onto Earth. 

People within the path of that shadow — much narrower than the shadow Earth casts onto the comparatively smaller moon during a lunar eclipse — will see day turn to twilight as the moon passes overhead along its orbit.

"It's profound," said Michael Kirk, a research astrophysicist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center who traveled to Oregon for the total solar eclipse seven years ago. "Because it brings all of these astronomical qualities and quantities down to what you can see with your eyes."

Why do total solar eclipses happen?

Because Earth is constantly orbiting the sun, and the moon constantly orbits Earth, an eclipse of some kind generally occurs four to seven times each year, somewhere in the world. Total eclipses are less common .

"It's based on the distance from the Earth to the moon, the Earth's orbit and, of course, the position of the sun in the sky from Earth," said Kirk. "When all of those align, when that recipe gets to be just right, you get a total solar eclipse."

They are especially striking to witness from Earth, something scientists chalk up to a spectacular cosmic coincidence. The sun's diameter — the length from one end to the other — is about 400 times as large as the moon's, and its position in space is about 400 times farther than the moon's from Earth. From the vantage point of the planet, that ratio causes the moon and sun to look as though they are similar sizes. It can make for dramatic solar eclipses, since the moon can block out all or most of the light.

Solar eclipses can only occur during a new moon , a milestone phase of the lunar cycle. New moons happen roughly once a month, when the moon's orbit around Earth and Earth's orbit around the sun intersect, with the moon gliding between the star and the planet. A similar intersection happens during a full moon, the new moon's polar opposite. On that end of the cycle, Earth winds up in the middle instead.

Like the planet, the moon has its own sort of night and day, determined by which side of the moon faces the sun at different points in its orbit. As sunlight reflects off of half of the surface of the moon, people gazing upward see its bright, sun-facing side as moonlight.

None of the moon's sunny side faces Earth during a new moon, which is why it looks like a dark disc covering the sun during a solar eclipse. But solar eclipses do not happen each month when the new moon does.

Although the moon does pass by the sun at regular intervals, the perfect lineup necessary for a solar eclipse is often missed. The moon's orbit around Earth is tilted compared with Earth's around the sun. So, when their orbits cross paths during a new moon, the intersection usually happens at an angle. The angle of just about five degrees is enough to throw off the alignment, so the new moon typically passes slightly above or slightly below the slice of light beamed from the sun onto Earth, rather than passing through it. The moon's tilted orbit is also why full moons happen monthly but lunar eclipses do not.

What exactly happens during a solar eclipse?

As the new moon glides squarely between Earth and the sun, the sunlight still shining around it from behind projects a shadow over a portion of the planet. The natural course of the moon's orbit traces a path along the surface of Earth, which is moving, too, as it continues to track its own orbit and spins on its axis at the same time. The path then becomes a traveling shadow, called the path of totality, where within its bounds the shadow is experienced on the ground as a total solar eclipse.

"By observing the eclipse shadow pass over you, you're actually observing the moon's orbit in human-scale real-time," said Kirk. "When you see the eclipse shadow racing across the land as you go into totality, and you're in it for a minute and you see it leaving just as fast, that is literally the orbit of the moon that you're watching."

The moon is closer to Earth now than it was during the total solar eclipse that dazzled millions of Americans in 2017, so today's spectacle will have a much wider path of totality. That presents a unique opportunity for many across the country to witness a total solar eclipse, perhaps for the first time. In the contiguous United States, there will not be another chance for 20 years.

Today's eclipse will see the moon temporarily blot out the sun in skies over a vast stretch of North America, moving from the Pacific Coast of central Mexico to the southwestern U.S., the Midwest, the Northeast and New England before tapering off in far-eastern Canada. Millions of people are flocking to places  inside the path of totality , which includes cities like Dallas and Buffalo, for the show.

As the eclipse passes overhead, people watching should see afternoon light fade to resemble something like dusk or dawn. But anyone who decides to look up, even through a camera lens , needs to wear specialized protective glasses .

Weather permitting, observers in the path of totality may also be able to see wisps of the sun's outermost atmosphere, called corona. They could potentially see a coronal mass ejection, too, which is essentially an eruption of solar material from that outer layer. Unlike the total solar eclipse in 2017, this one comes in the midst of an especially active and energetic period for the sun.

What is different about the cause of a partial solar eclipse?

People just outside the path of totality today may witness a partial solar eclipse , which happens when the moon passes between the sun and the planet without flawless alignment. Skywatchers inside the path will likely see partial eclipses before and after totality. From Earth, the moon appears to cover only part of the sun during a partial solar eclipse, at times creating the crescent shape more often associated with moonlight.

Partial and total are not the only categories of eclipse. Annular is another iteration, where the cosmic recipe for a total solar eclipse unfolds but the moon is at, or close to, the farthest point from Earth in its elliptical orbit. As it did with the annular eclipse that slipped past the U.S. last October, that extra distance causes the moon to appear smaller against the backdrop of the sun during an eclipse, like a black spot surrounded by a fiery ring. Eclipses can also shift in some situations between an annular presentation and totality.

What determines the timing of a solar eclipse?

Today's solar eclipse starts over the South Pacific Ocean , according to NASA, and the phenomenon is first expected to arrive on land in coastal Mexico at around 11:07 a.m. PDT. Totality will linger longest near the beginning of the eclipse's path, over an area about 25 minutes northwest of the city of Torreón. There, for up to 4 minutes and 28 seconds, the sun will all but disappear behind the dark veil of the moon.

Earth's rotation guides the path and timing of an eclipse as much as the moon's orbit. Whichever spot on the planet's surface finds itself exactly aligned with the moon when the moon aligns with the sun is where the eclipse "begins." In this case, that spot is somewhere in the South Pacific. But the moon's position changes in orbit while the planet turns as the day goes on, and their calibration with the sun eventually falls out of alignment. The eclipse "ends" at the spot on Earth's surface where alignment is intact for the last time.

How long totality lasts in any given place is based on the curvature of the Earth, and the distance between its surface and the moon during a solar eclipse.

"The peak eclipse is where the moon is closest to the Earth's surface and the most aligned with the sun," said Kirk. "So, as that alignment gets off from the ideal peak, and you move around on the Earth's surface because the Earth is round, that curvature brings you out of perfect alignment just a little bit. That means the length of time that you get that perfect alignment between the Earth, sun and moon to get totality is just a little bit shorter, and a little bit shorter."

After today's eclipse leaves Mexico, totality will touch parts of Texas , Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine, as well as limited areas in Tennessee and Michigan along the way. Once the eclipse passes through the U.S., it is forecast to enter Canada in Southern Ontario before moving on to Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and, finally, Cape Breton. It will exit continental North America on Newfoundland's Atlantic Coast at 5:16 p.m. in the local time zone.

The amount of time spent in darkness at each location within the path of totality is shorter than the last. But areas all along the eclipse's route will still experience it for long enough to notice, with scientists estimating that even portions of Canada at the far end of it will witness totality for up to 3 minutes and 21 seconds.

For comparison, the longest period of totality observed during the 2017 solar eclipse was only 2 minutes and 42 seconds, near Carbondale, Illinois. Plus, NASA has estimated that 99% of people in the U.S. will experience the next solar eclipse to some degree — either partially or totally — no matter where they live. That includes parts of Alaska and Hawaii.

Emily Mae Czachor is a reporter and news editor at CBSNews.com. She covers breaking news, often focusing on crime and extreme weather. Emily Mae has previously written for outlets including the Los Angeles Times, BuzzFeed and Newsweek.

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The 7 Best New and Affordable Places To Travel in 2024

Posted: March 16, 2024 | Last updated: March 16, 2024

Planning your 2024 vacation? If your wanderlust has you eager to go where you've never been, consider one of these new and affordable destinations for 2024.

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Amboseli National Park, Kenya

Most safari vacations offer rustic accommodations, and a stay at Angama Amboseli does mean you'll be sleeping in a tent. But you'll also be able to gaze on the majesty of African elephants in the shadows of Mount Kilimanjaro. The resort celebrates the local indigenous community in its architecture and its culinary offerings.

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Busan, South Korea

While the K-pop stars BTS may have put Busan on the map, an influx of new resorts keeps it there. A new Windham property joins many beachfront resorts on the Sea of Japan. Foodies will want to consider Busan as it will welcome a new Michelin guide this year.

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Halifax, Nova Scotia

Ocean views and a thriving maritime economy have long been associated with Nova Scotia, but this seaport now boasts an emerging technology industry. The newly redeveloped waterfront area features the Queen's Marque, with restaurants, art galleries and a five-star hotel.

Kangaroo Island, Australia

This Australian destination has rebuilt much of its lost in bushfires in 2020, and several new resorts will open this year. Cabn X is an affordable option, with small homes with a modern feel, and Southern Ocean Lodge, destroyed in the fires, has been rebuilt and is now open.

Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

The DR has long been known as an affordable Caribbean destination, but it is now being recognized for luxury as well. Several new resorts in Punta Cana will open this year, including the St. Regis Cap Cana, the Sanctuary Cap Cana, and a new W hotel. Many resorts are all-inclusive, and some only welcome adults.

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Quito, Ecuador

Most travelers visit Quito on their way to the Galapagos Islands, but the Ecuadorian capital has undergone a recent renaissance that makes it a destination in and of itself. An expanded subway has reduced traffic congestion and made it easier for non-locals to get around. New shops, galleries and restaurants have much to offer visitors, and its weather is mild year-round.

Transylvania, Romania

Beautiful castles and a rich history will prove that Transylvania is known for more than just vampires. Try Bethlen Estates near many historical sites, including Dracula's Bran Castle, for luxury. For a retreat experience, Matca offers walking safaris and praying with monks, all with views of the Carpathian Mountains.

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Your last-minute guide to Monday's total solar eclipse

A total solar eclipse will cross North America on Monday , offering millions a rare opportunity to see afternoon skies temporarily darken as the moon blocks the face of the sun.

Tune into NBC News NOW as Lester Holt hosts a two-hour special at 2 p.m. ET Monday from Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The eclipse's path fortuitously cuts across Mexico, 15 U.S. states and a small part of eastern Canada. In all other states in the continental U.S., viewers will be treated to a partial solar eclipse, with the moon appearing to take a bite out of the sun and obscuring part of its light.

Here’s everything you need to know about the rare celestial event.

What is a solar eclipse?

Solar eclipses occur when the sun, moon and Earth align. The moon passes between Earth and sun, temporarily blocking the sun’s light and casting a shadow on Earth.

A total solar eclipse is when the moon fully obscures the sun, whereas a partial solar eclipse means it blocks just a portion of the sun’s face.

Solar eclipses occur only with the new moon. Because the moon’s orbit around Earth is tilted, the three bodies don’t always line up in a way that creates an eclipse.

“Imagine if the moon’s orbit were in the plane of Earth’s orbit around the sun — if that were the case, then every new moon, you’d have a total solar eclipse and every full moon, you’d have a lunar eclipse,” Neil DeGrasse Tyson, director of the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History, told NBC News. “So, because things don’t always align, it lends to the rarity of the event and the specialness of the event.”

Where and when will the eclipse be visible?

This year’s eclipse will follow a slightly wider path over more populated areas of the continental U.S. than other total solar eclipses have in the recent past.

NASA estimates that 31.6 million people live within what’s known as the path of totality, where the total solar eclipse will be visible. An additional 150 million people live within 200 miles of the path, according to the agency.

The path travels through Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. Tiny parts of Michigan and Tennessee will also be able to witness totality if conditions are clear.

After the eclipse crosses into Canada, it will pass over southern Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Cape Breton, at the eastern end of Nova Scotia.

Those outside the path of totality can still take part in the astronomical event by viewing a partial solar eclipse — visible throughout all 48 states of the contiguous U.S. — or a NASA livestream.

The timing, including how long totality lasts, depends on the location, but some spots will see the moon fully cover the sun for up to 4 minutes and 28 seconds.

Below is a list of timings for some cities along the path of totality, as  provided by NASA . A number of other resources, including NationalEclipse.com  and  TimeandDate.com , can also help people plan.

• Dallas: Partial eclipse begins at 12:23 p.m. CT and totality at 1:40 p.m.
• Little Rock, Arkansas: Partial eclipse begins at 12:33 p.m. CT and totality at 1:51 p.m.
• Cleveland: Partial eclipse begins at 1:59 p.m. ET and totality at 3:13 p.m.
• Buffalo, New York: Partial eclipse begins at 2:04 p.m. ET and totality at 3:18 p.m.
• Lancaster, New Hampshire: Partial eclipse begins at 2:16 p.m. ET and totality at 3:27 p.m.

How to safely view a solar eclipse

It is never safe to gaze directly at the sun, even when it is partly or mostly covered by the moon. Special eclipse glasses or  pinhole projectors  are required to safely view solar eclipses and prevent eye damage. Failing to take the proper precautions can result in severe eye injury,  according to NASA .

Eclipse glasses are thousands of times darker than normal sunglasses and specially made to enable wearers to look at the sun during these kinds of celestial events.

Sky-watchers should also never view any part of the sun through binoculars, telescopes or camera lenses unless they have specific solar filters attached. Eclipse glasses should not be used with these devices, as they will not provide adequate protection.

However, during the few minutes of totality, when the moon is fully blocking the sun, it is safe to look with the naked eye.

Beware of fake eclipse glasses. On legitimate pairs, the lenses should have a silver appearance on the front and be black on the inside. The manufacturer’s name and address should be clearly labeled, and they should not be torn or punctured. Check, as well, for the ISO logo and the code “IS 12312-2” printed on the inside.

If you don’t have eclipse glasses, you can make a homemade pinhole projector, which lets sunlight in through a small hole, focuses it and projects it onto a piece of paper, wall or other surface to create an image of the sun that is safe to look at. 

All you need is two pieces of white cardboard or plain white paper, aluminum foil and a pin or thumbtack. Cut a 1- to 2-inch square or rectangle out of the center of a piece of white paper or cardboard. Tape aluminum foil over that cut-out shape, then use a pin or thumbtack to poke a tiny hole in the foil.

During the eclipse, place a second piece of white paper or cardboard on the ground as a screen and hold the projector with the foil facing up and your back to the sun. Adjusting how far you hold the projector from the second piece of paper will alter the size of the image on the makeshift screen.

What to look for while viewing the total solar eclipse

For people along the path of totality, there are some fun milestones to keep track of as the total solar eclipse unfolds.

As the eclipse progresses and the sun gets thinner in the sky, it will start to get eerily dark, according to Tyson.

When the last beams of sunlight are about to become obscured, look out for the “diamond ring effect”: The sun’s atmosphere will appear as an illuminated halo, and the last light still visible will look like the diamond of a giant ring.

As the sunlight decreases even further, an effect known as Baily’s beads will be created by the moon’s rugged terrain. Tiny “beads” of light will be visible for only a few seconds around the dark moon, as the last bits of sunlight peer through the moon’s mountains and valleys.

When the moon is fully blocking the sun, it is safe to remove eclipse glasses and look at the total solar eclipse with the naked eye.

Some lucky sky-watchers may even catch a glimpse of a comet .

Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks — nicknamed the “ devil comet ” because an eruption last year left it with two distinct trails of gas and ice in the shape of devil horns — is currently visible from the Northern Hemisphere as it swings through the inner solar system.

The comet can be seen in the early evenings by gazing toward the west-northwest horizon. During the eclipse, when skies darken during totality, it may be possible to see the comet near Jupiter, but its visibility will depend on whether it’s in the middle of an outburst and thus brighter than normal.

Most likely, all eyes will be on the alignment of the moon and sun.

“Most people won’t even notice,” Tyson said. “But if you know to look, it’s there.”

When is the next solar eclipse?

The next total solar eclipse will be in 2026, but it will mostly pass over the Arctic Ocean, with some visibility in Greenland, Iceland, Portugal and northern Spain. In 2027, a total solar eclipse will be visible in Spain and a swath of northern Africa.

The next total solar eclipse visible from North America will be in 2033, but only over Alaska. Then in 2044, a total solar eclipse will cross Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, parts of Canada and Greenland.

The next total solar eclipse to cross the continental U.S. coast-to-coast in will occur in 2045. The path of totality for that eclipse will cut through California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia and Florida.

Denise Chow is a reporter for NBC News Science focused on general science and climate change.

Lucas Thompson is a content producer for the NBC News Climate Unit.