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Sunset Park RV Sun Lite Travel Trailer

sunlight travel light

For lightweight and versatile camping, the Sun Lite travel trailers by Sunset Park RV are a great choice!  Whether you enjoy campground camping or somewhere a little more private, the Sun Lite offers you a lightweight mini camper with the same amenities of a full-size RV.

Each are built with 5/8" one-piece floor decking, and 3/8" roof decking that is fully walkable.  The walls, front, and rear have residential insulation all covered with .024" aluminum siding for easy care.  The chassis is powder-coated steel with Spring-Leaf Dexter axles for a smooth tow, and you will also have a spare tire with carrier.  Front and rear stabilizer jacks allow you to easily set up at camp.  Add an optional Sport Package and head a little further off the beaten path with the added 6" of lift and off-road tires plus aluminum rims.

With any Sun Lite camping trailer or toy hauler model you are sure to enjoy each adventure you take!

Travel Trailer

sunlight travel light

  • Length: 16 ft 6 in
  • Weight: 2480 lbs

22 Available Now!

sunlight travel light

  • Length: 19 ft 0 in
  • Weight: 2920 lbs

13 Available Now!

sunlight travel light

  • Weight: 3000 lbs

1 Available Now!

sunlight travel light

  • Length: 22 ft 0 in
  • Weight: 3920 lbs

5 Available Now!

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Sun Lite Features:

Standard Features

Construction Standards

  • Wood Studs built 16” On Center
  • 5/8” One-piece Floor decking
  • 3/8” Roof decking – FULLY WALKABLE
  • .024” Aluminum Siding
  • One-piece PVC Roof Membrane
  • Residential Insulated Walls, Front & End
  • Diamond Plate Rock Guard
  • Powder-Coated Steel Chassis
  • Front & Rear Stabilizer Jacks
  • Radial Tires
  • Spring-Leaf Dexter Axles
  • Spare Tire with Carrier
  • 100W Solar Kit Installed w/ Controller
  • Battery Disconnect
  • Aluminum Rims (Std. Tires)

Comfort Standards

  • A/C & Furnace
  • 6 Gallon DSI Gas Water Heater
  • 2 Burner Stove Top Range Hood with Light & Fan
  • Stove & Sink Cover
  • Refrigerator
  • Tinted Safety Glass Windows w/ Nightshades
  • Quick Connect Gas Line
  • Outside Shower
  • Fire Extinguisher
  • Smoke Detector
  • Carbon Monoxide Detector
  • 2 – 20 pound LP tanks
  • Backup Camera Prep
  • Power Vent in the Bathroom
  • Solid Step (Rear Door Models Only)
  • Bunk Above Bed (16BH, 18RD ONLY)

Entertainment Standards

  • Inside/Outside Speakers
  • Bluetooth Radio
  • Cable/Satellite Hook Ups
  • Backers for TV mount
  • Power Awning
  • Wineguard HDTV Antenna

Primary Metal

Secondary Metal

  • *16BH ONLY - Subject to Availability

Popular Options

  • Power Tongue 
  • Stove with Oven Range
  • Black Tank Flush
  • Power Rear Awning
  • 6" Lift with Off-Road Tires
  • Aluminum Rims (Sport Tires)
  • Fantastic Fan
  • 6 Side Heat Foil
  • Power Tongue
  • Gas/Electric DSI Water Heater
  • Murphy Bed (18RD)

RUSH Toy Hauler Package ( 21TH – 24TH )

  • Portable Blue Tooth Speaker IPO Std
  • 74" x 88" Ramp Door 21TH 
  • 82" x 88" Ramp Door 24TH
  • Jiffy Sofa 
  • Dual Cargo Loading Lights
  • Magnetic Rear Bug Screen

Please see us for a complete list of features and available options.

All standard features and specifications are subject to change.

All warranty info is typically reserved for new units and is subject to specific terms and conditions. See us for more details.

Due to the current environment, our features and options are subject to change due to material availability.

Manu-Facts:

sunlight travel light

President Merle Schmucker started a construction company in Florida when he was just 17 years old, building multi-million dollar homes which feature bent and curved wood staircases and domes and other unique architectural features. Two years later, in 2007, he moved back home to Shipshewana to raise his family and he started an RV company. Innovation and quality structure are just as much a part of his travel trailers as the homes he built more than a decade ago. Today nearly every line worker at Sunset Park RV comes from the local Amish community and care just as much about quality as Merle.

We want people to be happy with our products for more than just one season – or one trip – because an RV is an investment. People spend their money in order to spend their time relaxing, adventure-seeking and traveling to enjoy the experience of camping and being with friends and family.

How far does light travel in the ocean?

Light may be detected as far as 1,000 meters down in the ocean , but there is rarely any significant light beyond 200 meters..

illustration of how far light travels in the ocean.

The ocean is divided into three zones based on depth and light level. Although some sea creatures depend on light to live, others can do without it. ‘Photic’ is a derivative of ‘photon,’ the word for a particle of light. A full transcript is available that presents this infographic content in plain text.

Sunlight entering the water may travel about 1,000 meters into the ocean under the right conditions, but there is rarely any significant light beyond 200 meters .

The ocean is divided into three zones based on depth and light level. The upper 200 meters of the ocean is called the euphotic , or " sunlight ," zone. This zone contains the vast majority of commercial fisheries and is home to many protected marine mammals and sea turtles.

Only a small amount of light penetrates beyond this depth.

The zone between 200 meters and 1,000 meters is usually referred to as the “ twilight ” zone, but is officially the dysphotic zone. In this zone, the intensity of light rapidly dissipates as depth increases. Such a minuscule amount of light penetrates beyond a depth of 200 meters that photosynthesis is no longer possible.

The aphotic zone exists in depths below 1,000 meters . Sunlight does not penetrate to these depths and the zone is bathed in darkness. The aphotic zone is further subdivided into the bathypelagic zone (or midnight zone) between 1,000 and 4,000 meters, the abyssopelagic (or the abyss ) between 4,000 and 6,000 meters , and the hadopelagic zone (or hadal zone) 6,000 meters and deeper.

Infographic Transcript: Distance Sunlight Travels in the Ocean

  • The left side of this graphic shows a measuring stick against a representation of the ocean; it shows three depths: sea level, 200 meters, and 1,000 meters and deeper.
  • The middle portion of the graphic shows the ocean divided into three zones. The first division from sea level to 200 meters is labeled as the euphotic (sunlight) zone and says "sunlight rarely penetrates beyond this zone." Graphic representations of tuna are shown swimming in this first zone. The second division from 200 meters to 1,000 meters is labeled as the dysphotic (twilight) zone and says "sunlight decreases rapidly with depth; photosynthesis is not possible here." Graphic representations of shrimp, swordfish, and hatchet fish are shown swimming in this second zone. The third division is labeled from 1,000 meters and deeper and is labeled as the aphotic zone and says "sunlight does not penetrate; the zone is bathed in darkness." Graphic representations of angler fish and giant squid are shown swimming in this zone.
  • The division labeled 'aphotic zone' contains this additional text: "The aphotic zone incudes: The bathypelagic (midnight) zone between 1,000-4,000 meters; the abyssopelagic (abyss) zone between 4,000-6,000 meters; and the hadopelagic (hadal) zone is 6,000 meters and deeper.
  • A solid blue thin line is at the bottom of the graphic shows the website address of the National Ocean Service and the NOAA logo.

More Information

How far does light travel in the ocean? (Ocean Explorer)

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Nevada's Largest RV Dealer

sunlight travel light

New 2023 Sunset Park RV Sun-Lite 16BH

Rear Bath

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  • Interior Color GROTTO

Specifications

Description, 16bh floorplan.

sunlight travel light

Sunset Park RV Sun-Lite Classic 16BH travel trailer highlights:

  • Booth Dinette
  • Full Bathroom
  • Outside Shower

This travel trailer is perfect for couples who want to getaway together! The front bed offers a comfortable place to lay your head at night. When you're not using the booth dinette to enjoy a meal that you prepared with the two burner cooktop or playing a card game, you can transform it into an extra sleeping space. You can start your mornings feeling clean and fresh after showering in the tub with unwanted steam removed with the power roof vent . 

You can trust the build and enjoy your experience with any one of these Sunset Park RV Sun-Lite Classic travel trailers! Their aerodynamic profile is not only easy to haul, but also saves on fuel. They are built to withstand years of traveling even though they are lightweight with a diamond plate rock guard , a one piece PVC roof membrane, EZ lube electric brake axles, and radius tinted safety glass windows with nightshades for added privacy. The mandatory Comfort package includes a Bluetooth radio with inside and outside speakers, a quick connect gas line, a microwave , and an outside shower to help keep the dirt outdoors where it belongs. 

  • 1 12V DEEP CYCLE BATTERY
  • 12 VOLT CONVERTER
  • 16" O.C. CONSTRUCTION
  • 2-20# LP TANKS
  • 6 CU FT DOUBLE DOOR REFER
  • 6 GALLON DSI GAS WATER HEATER
  • 6 SIDED HEAT FOIL
  • 6" LIFT W/ HEAVY DUTY TIRES AND BLACK METAL RIMS
  • 7' POWER REAR AWNING
  • ALUMINUM RIMS
  • BACK-UP CAMERA PREP
  • BALL BEARING DRAWER GUIDES
  • BATTERY DISCONNECT
  • BLACK TANK COVER
  • BLACK TANK FLUSH
  • BLUETOOTH RADIO W/INSIDE-OUTSIDE SPEAKERS
  • CABLE/SATELLITE HOOK-UP
  • DIAMOND PLATE ROCK GUARD
  • DUE TO COVID SOME ITEMS MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE
  • ELECTRIC AWNING
  • EZ LUBE ELECTRIC BRAKE AXLES
  • FRONT AND REAR STAB JACKS
  • FUEL SAVING AERODYNAMIC PROFILE
  • HDTV ANTENNA
  • MONITOR PANEL
  • NIGHTSHADES.
  • OFF ROAD PACKAGE:
  • ONE PIECE ROOF MEMBRANE
  • OUTSIDE SHOWER
  • PASS THRU STORAGE (WHERE AVAIL)
  • POWER ROOF VENT IN BATH
  • POWER TONGUE JACK
  • QUICK CONNECT GAS LINE
  • RADIAL TIRES
  • RADIUS TINTED SAFETY GLASS WINDOWS
  • RANGE HOOD W/LT AND EXHAUST FAN
  • ROOF MOUNTED A/C
  • SOLAR PANEL W/ CONTROLLER
  • SPARE TIRE AND CARRIER
  • STOVE AND SINK COVER
  • STOVE W/OVEN
  • SUNLITE COMFORT:
  • SUNLITE CONFIDENCE:
  • SUNLITE ELITE:
  • TRAILER PAC VOUCHER
  • TUB OR SHOWER SURROUND
  • WALKABLE ROOF

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What is the speed of light?

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

graphic representing the speed of light showing lines of light of different colors; blue, green, yellow and white.

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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Vicky Stein

Vicky Stein is a science writer based in California. She has a bachelor's degree in ecology and evolutionary biology from Dartmouth College and a graduate certificate in science writing from the University of California, Santa Cruz (2018). Afterwards, she worked as a news assistant for PBS NewsHour, and now works as a freelancer covering anything from asteroids to zebras. Follow her most recent work (and most recent pictures of nudibranchs) on Twitter. 

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April 15, 2013

How long does it take sunlight to reach the Earth?

by Fraser Cain, Universe Today

How long does it take sunlight to reach the Earth?

Here's a question… how long does it take sunlight to reach Earth? This sounds like a strange question, but think about it. Sunlight travels at the speed of light. Photons emitted from the surface of the Sun need to travel across the vacuum of space to reach our eyes.

The short answer is that it takes sunlight an average of 8 minutes and 20 seconds to travel from the Sun to the Earth.

If the Sun suddenly disappeared from the Universe (not that this could actually happen, don't panic), it would take a little more than 8 minutes before you realized it was time to put on a sweater.

Here's the math. We orbit the Sun at a distance of about 150 million km. Light moves at 300,000 kilometers/second. Divide these and you get 500 seconds, or 8 minutes and 20 seconds.

This is an average number. Remember, the Earth follows an elliptical orbit around the Sun, ranging from 147 million to 152 million km. At its closest point, sunlight only takes 490 seconds to reach Earth. And then at the most distant point, it takes 507 seconds for sunlight to make the journey.

But the story of light gets even more interesting, when you think about the journey light needs to make inside the Sun.

You probably know that photons are created by fusion reactions inside the Sun's core. They start off as gamma radiation and then are emitted and absorbed countless times in the Sun's radiative zone, wandering around inside the massive star before they finally reach the surface .

What you probably don't know, is that these photons striking your eyeballs were ACTUALLY created tens of thousands of years ago and it took that long for them to be emitted by the sun.

Once they escaped the surface, it was only a short 8 minutes for those photons to cross the vast distance from the Sun to the Earth

As you look outward into space, you're actually looking backwards in time.

The light you see from your computer is nanoseconds old. The light reflected from the surface of the Moon takes only a second to reach Earth. The Sun is more than 8 light-minutes away. And so, if the light from the nearest star (Alpha Centauri) takes more than 4 years to reach us, we're seeing that star 4 years in the past.

There are galaxies millions of light-years away, which means the light we're seeing left the surface of those stars millions of years ago. For example, the galaxy M109 is located about 83.5 million light-years away.

If aliens lived in those galaxies, and had strong enough telescopes, they would see the Earth as it looked in the past. They might even see dinosaurs walking on the surface.

Source: Universe Today

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The Best Light Therapy Lamp

The Carex Day-Light Classic Plus Lamp, shown illuminated against a dark blue background.

Shifts in the number of daylight hours—due to changing seasons or long-distance travel—can have varying effects on people. For some, limited daylight hours can sap energy. For others, the effects can be more serious. After putting in 33 hours of research—including reading two books and five comprehensive studies on the subject and interviewing one of the scientists who discovered seasonal affective disorder (SAD) —we’ve concluded that the Carex Day-Light Classic Plus is the best light therapy lamp to treat SAD symptoms.

Everything we recommend

sunlight travel light

Carex Day-Light Classic Plus

The best light therapy lamp.

This light has all of the specs our expert sources recommend, as well as a reasonable price and a generous warranty.

Buying Options

sunlight travel light

Northern Light Technologies Boxelite

More streamlined, warmer hue.

Of all the larger light therapy lamps we considered, the Boxelite has the most unobtrusive design.

Budget pick

sunlight travel light

Verilux HappyLight Luxe

Compact design, less powerful.

The compact HappyLight Luxe shines brightly in multiple color temperatures and brightness levels, and it has an automated shutoff feature. It’s the best sub-$100 lamp we’ve considered. However, its light is less powerful than that of our other picks, and it provides 10,000 lux only at a distance of six inches.

What to look for

The more light a lamp can safely deliver, the less time you need to use it. Thirty minutes in front of a 10,000-lux lamp is generally sufficient.

The farther a person can sit from a lamp and still receive the stated 10,000 lux, the easier it is to position.

Although many people might catch a case of the blahs when the weather turns colder and the days get shorter, that’s far different from a clinical case of SAD, which should only be diagnosed and treated by a medical professional . You should use a SAD lamp or light box only under medical supervision, as it is in fact a medical device.

The Carex Day-Light Classic Plus meets all of the criteria necessary to be considered therapeutically effective and safe, and it’s cheaper than many of its competitors. The lamp’s “99.3 percent UV-free” LED light and 10,000-lux light intensity at 12 inches, combined with its large, 15½-by-12½-inch face, mean you won’t have to sit in front of it for more than 30 minutes (the minimum length of time that experts recommend) to experience its physiological benefits. It has a color temperature of 4,000 Kelvin.

If you’re willing to pay a bit more for one of the sleekest large light therapy lamps we looked at, or if our pick is unavailable, we recommend the Northern Light Technologies Boxelite . With a minimalist, rectangular design, the Boxelite is the lamp we’d like to put on our own desks. Its light face is about the same size as that of our top pick (15 by 12 inches), and it provides 10,000 lux of fluorescent, “UV-free” light at 14 inches (two more than our top pick). The Boxelite also has a warmer color temperature (3,500 Kelvin) than our top pick, which may better suit your taste. As with our top pick, you have to sit in front of it for only 30 minutes to benefit. But the Boxelite isn’t adjustable, unlike the Day-Light Classic Plus.

At nearly half the price and a quarter of the size of our top pick, the Verilux HappyLight Luxe provides 10,000 lux of “UV-free” LED light at six inches, according to the manufacturer. Its 9-by-6-inch light surface has three color temperatures to choose from (3,500, 4,250, and 5,000 Kelvin, more choices than on our top pick or our also-great model), and it comes with a useful countdown timer. However, it isn’t position-adjustable like our top pick, and its small overall size and light face mean you may need to get creative with positioning to ensure an effective angle during use. And in a side-by-side comparison using a commercial luxmeter , we found that the HappyLight Luxe’s light appeared less powerful than that of our other two picks.

The research

Why you should trust us, what is seasonal affective disorder (sad), who should (and should not) get this, how light therapy lamps work, how we picked and tested, our pick: carex day-light classic plus, also great: northern light technologies boxelite, budget pick: verilux happylight luxe, another good light therapy lamp, the competition.

We looked at 50 lamps for seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and eventually tested 15 top-rated best sellers. We spent a weekend reading Winter Blues by SAD expert Norman E. Rosenthal, MD, and spoke at length with Alfred Lewy , MD, PhD, one of the first doctors to report on SAD in 1980. We also reached out to psychologist Elizabeth Saenger, PhD, who was then the director of education for the Center for Environmental Therapeutics, and Teodor Postolache , PhD, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Additionally, we read through many research papers from the past three decades.

Many people experience some emotional or physical changes with the arrival of new seasons, especially winter: Your mood may swing, your eating habits might shift, and your energy levels may rise or fall. Some people are less able to cope with these changes. SAD is a seasonal pattern of major depressive episodes as diagnosed by a physician according to criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (per DSM -5, SAD is a form of depression called “Major Depressive Disorder with Seasonal Pattern.”). This diagnosis can be made only by a medical professional.

For many people, seasonal shifts in their mood and energy might be unpleasant or annoying, but they’re fairly simple to manage.

Other people feel the weight of these changes in a more serious manner. Maybe the symptoms aren’t quite severe enough for them to seek a doctor’s opinion, but the effects certainly make it hard to get out of the house in winter. It’s what folks sometimes informally call the winter blues.

A third group experiences these changes so severely that their lives are seriously disrupted. If you have true SAD, the darker months may feel like a physical exhaustion that will never end.

It’s important to note that not everyone experiences SAD symptoms at the same time or in the same way. In Winter Blues , Rosenthal writes, “Just as the degree of seasonal difficulties may vary from one person to the next, so may the timing of the problem. For example, one person may begin to feel SAD symptoms in September, whereas another will feel well until after Christmas.”

Therapeutic light boxes are not the only available treatment for seasonal affective disorder (SAD). If you think you’re among the roughly 5% in the United States who suffer from SAD , talk to your doctor to figure out your best course of treatment (which might include anything from more time outside to cognitive behavioral therapy or medication).

For most people with only mild seasonal mood disorders, the risk of using a therapy light is relatively minimal; eyestrain and headaches (especially in migraine sufferers) are the most commonly reported side effects. However, people with a history of  bipolar disorder may suffer an exaggerated response while using a light box and should consider this therapy only in close consultation with a physician.

In 1980, Alfred Lewy published the finding from a small study indicating that sufficiently intense artificial light suppressed humans’ nighttime production of melatonin—a hormone linked to the regulation of the sleep cycle. According to interviews with Lewy, prior to that moment there was more or less uniform agreement among medical professionals that artificial light had little to no effect on people’s circadian rhythms. As it turned out, most experiments up to that moment had not used lights bright enough to induce a measurable change in human melatonin or circadian physiology.

“[Dr. Robert] Sack and I realized that humans really don’t have seasonal rhythms like animals do, like breeding and hibernation and reproduction,” Lewy explained over the phone. “We proposed a ‘phase shift hypothesis’ that is still the leading hypothesis for how bright lights treat SAD, which is that in the winter, with the shorter days, most people’s circadian rhythms drift late with the later dawn, out of phase with their natural sleep-wake cycle. It’s like having jet lag for five months. With morning bright-light exposure, those rhythms are pushed back earlier, back into phase with their sleep.”

Today, “bright light therapy is recommended as the first-line option” for the treatment of SAD, according to a 2003 review (PDF) in the journal Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience. Far from being a fringe or “alternative” purported remedy for SAD, light therapy has been clinically shown in many studies to work to alleviate symptoms .

Our three picks for the best light therapy lamps, shown illuminated.

When you’re shopping for a SAD lamp, to ensure that you receive the full therapeutic benefits of the light, there are a few important factors to consider, namely how much light it delivers and how close to the lamp you need to sit for the treatment to be effective.

First, know that the FDA does not test, approve, or regulate light-box devices. As such, you should not use one without a physician’s guidance. We based our picks on research, customer feedback, and product specifications—including optimal sitting distances—provided by manufacturers, as well as conversations with experts who study and prescribe these units.

A light box should deliver between 2,500 and 10,000 lux. A lux is a unit that measures 1 lumen per square meter. The more lux a light delivers, the less time you need to spend positioned in front of it. For most 10,000-lux lights, 30 uninterrupted minutes per day, preferably in the morning , should suffice. “If you’re going to sleep too early and want to stay awake longer, a little bit of light therapy in the afternoon can help mitigate that,” said Teodore Postolache, PhD, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

We also looked at how close to each box you need to sit to score the maximum results. Light intensity is subject to the inverse square law , which says that the intensity of light falls off by the square of the distance that you move away from it. For instance, if you are 2 feet away from a light source, you see a fourfold decrease in intensity. The farther away a person is able to sit from a lamp and still receive 10,000 lux for maximum efficacy, the more flexibility they have in terms of what they can be doing and how they can be sitting during treatment. “I insist, absolutely, that any reputable, reliable manufacturer has to tell the consumer what the distance it should be from the eyes to achieve 10,000 lux,” Lewy said. “If a light box doesn’t have that information, I wouldn’t use it.”

The larger the surface of the light box, the better. In Winter Blues , Rosenthal notes that the lights “used in almost all research studies … have an illuminated surface that is at least about one foot square.” For that reason, and the fact that smaller therapeutic lamps have not undergone the same kind of rigorous study that their bigger cousins have received, we strongly recommend light boxes with the largest surfaces. (We do recommend a smaller lamp, the HappyLight Luxe, which we think is a serviceable option if you don’t have the space or budget for one of our larger picks. However, our top pick has a longer track record of efficacy in home and academic use, and in a side-by-side comparison that we performed with a commercial luxmeter, the HappyLight Luxe’s light output did not seem as strong.)

We avoided any lamps that did not have a plastic filter to remove most if not all ultraviolet waves (which are potentially harmful to the eye), and we avoided those with incandescent bulbs, which can build up a lot of heat, as well as models that used blue LEDs, as there’s still some controversy over whether blue light, which is different from blue-enriched white light (PDF) , is harmful to the eyes.

Although many SAD lamps fit the above specifications, we discounted a number of them because of their high price, overly cumbersome design, too-small size, or dubious claims about features like “ion therapy.”

Because we are not qualified or equipped to evaluate SAD lamps for efficacy, we focused instead on how easy they were to use, how much space they took up on a tabletop, and whether they met their stated specs, including their total size and weight, light-face dimensions, cord lengths, and approximate light intensities. In a nonscientific test, we compared lux readings obtained with a commercial luxmeter to check for any significant inconsistencies between stated light intensities and real-world readings.

For this review, we focused on light therapy lamps. We did not consider dawn simulators, sunrise alarm clocks , or so-called light therapy glasses.

The Carex Day-Light Classic Plus, shown illuminated against a dark blue background.

The Carex Day-Light Classic Plus has the largest light face of all our picks and an impressive record of efficacy, as reported in customer reviews and academic research alike. At a distance of 12 inches, this lamp projects 10,000 lux of “99.3 percent UV-free” LED light from its 15½-by-12½-inch lamp face, the same amount of lux as all of our other picks provide and the minimum lux that any SAD lamp needs to be therapeutically effective according to the doctors we interviewed. The lamp face mounts to a weighted horseshoe base by way of an adjustable arm. This arm allows you to adjust the lamp’s angle and vertical position, reducing overall glare and increasing the flexibility of where and how you can use the lamp. For instance, you can set up the Day-Light Classic Plus in such a way that it allows you to read a book beneath it while keeping most of your face positioned well within the therapeutic 12-inch range of the lamp face. In contrast, to read in front of lamps that sit directly on a desk, you would need to either place the book upright between you and the lamp, which would shield you from some of the light, or lay the book down in front of you, possibly extending your position outside of the lamp’s therapeutic range.

A person reading a book in front of a light therapy lamp.

Assembling the Day-Light Classic Plus is easy and takes less than five minutes. An on/off switch on its side powers the lamp; when switched on, it starts illuminating instantly, in one of two intensities (7,000 or 10,000 lux). Fully extended, the Day-Light Classic Plus is 28½ inches tall. The lamp angle can swing approximately 65 degrees from fully vertical to nearly horizontal, which adds flexibility, though this design makes the entire lamp more cumbersome to move around compared with other lamps we’ve tried.

Compared with the cooler tones of other lamps, the Day-Light Classic Plus emits a pleasant, warm light with a color temperature of 4,000 Kelvin. You can also adjust the intensity, choosing between a high setting (10,000 lux) and a low setting (7,000 lux). Unlike on our also-great pick, this model’s cover, which protects the LED lights, creates an airtight seal, which makes the lamp easier to keep clean. The lamp comes with a standard AWG 6-foot grounded power cord, which is plenty long enough for most people’s needs and interchangeable if it gets lost. That interchangeability also means you can buy a longer AWG cord and use that instead if you need to.

The Day-Light has been used for years by scientists and physicians who study and treat SAD. The Center for Environmental Therapeutics , a nonprofit collective of scientists and clinicians dedicated to research and education about environmental therapies, previously recommended the Day-Light for years. According to psychologist Elizabeth Saenger, who was the CET’s director of education at the time of our interview, it’s the go-to light for many clinical trials that aim to study the effectiveness of light therapy. In October 2017, former CET board member Dorothy K. Sit, MD, and her colleagues used the Day-Light in a study described in an American Journal of Psychiatry paper, “ Adjunctive Bright Light Therapy for Bipolar Depression: A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trial .” A January 2016 article in New York Magazine also touted the Day-Light Classic Plus, quoting psychiatrist James Phelps’s description of it as the “official research rig.”

Flaws but not dealbreakers

The Day-Light Classic Plus is unwieldy and, some would argue, unattractive. The weighted base has a large (12-by-16-inch) footprint, so this lamp is not ideal for smaller spaces. If you don’t like the way it looks, you may prefer the simpler design of our also-great pick or our compact budget pick .

Like any heat-producing device, the lamp should be used in an open, ventilated space (a company spokesperson said to avoid putting it on a desk with a hutch, for example).

Carex’s five-year warranty for the Day-Light Classic Plus does not apply to “use other than for personal, family or household purposes and excludes shipping and handling charges.”

The Northern Light Technologies Boxelite, our also-great pick, shown illuminated.

If design is your priority, we like the Northern Light Technologies Boxelite . This lamp is more expensive than our top pick but looks the sharpest on a desk or table. Similar to the Day-Light Classic Plus, the Boxelite provides 10,000 lux at a distance of 14 inches, and it emits light from a 15-by-12-inch face. According to Northern Light Technologies, the light is fully UV-free, a slight enhancement over our top pick’s “99.3% UV-free” claim. The Boxelite provides an even warmer light than the Day-Light Classic Plus, with a 3,500-Kelvin color temperature. The Boxelite is not adjustable, but its slim, basic design helps it look the least obtrusive of the lamps we considered.

An on/off switch at the base powers the lamp. The bulbs take a few seconds to illuminate, but that is normal for fluorescent bulbs. The lamp also comes with a 7-foot cord, the longest of any of our picks.

Our favorite aspect of the Boxelite is its sleek design. The Boxelite has a picture-frame setup, minimal design with few accents, and clean edges. The back of the Boxelite is contained in a single smooth, black panel. It also comes with a seven-year warranty, longer coverage than for our pick. Note, though, that this warranty (PDF) covers everything but the tubes, and the customer is responsible for the shipping costs to send faulty units to Northern Light Technologies.

Our main two issues with the Boxelite are its lack of adjustability and its higher price, although it does come with that seven-year warranty. Also, since the Boxelite’s plastic cover does not feature an airtight seal (unlike on our other two picks), dust and grime easily slip into the hard-to-clean space between the cover and the lights.

The Verilux HappyLight Luxe, shown illuminated.

In side-by-side comparisons, the light output of the Verilux HappyLight Luxe was significantly lower than that of our other two picks. However, this small lamp is a solid option for newcomers to light therapy who don’t have the space or the budget for our top pick or also-great pick . At less than a foot tall and 7½ inches wide, it also packs easily for travel. The HappyLight Luxe’s 9-by-6-inch light surface still shines brightly, though not as brightly as those on our other, larger picks. According to Verilux, the lamp’s claimed 10,000-lux, “UV-free” light projection is adjustable from 3,500 to 5,000 Kelvin, so you can pick the light warmth that feels best to you.

However, the 10,000-lux is only feasible at a distance of six inches, which is half that of our other picks.

This model also features a countdown timer that lets you set the lamp to stay on for five-minute increments up to an hour; when the timer is done, the lamp shuts off automatically.

The HappyLight Luxe has the appearance and approximate size of a Kindle or a tablet, and unlike our other two picks, it comes with a detachable stand that can also serve as a wall mount. Its small footprint makes it easy to adjust and move around for proper, effective placement and for making sure it is within the company-reported therapeutic 24-inch range of the lamp face, which is twice the distance allowed by our top pick.

Like the cover on the Day-Light Classic Plus, the HappyLight Luxe’s cover, which protects the LED lights, has an airtight seal, so the lamp is easy to keep clean. The HappyLight Luxe comes with a three-year warranty that excludes bulbs and parts, which are covered by only a 60-day warranty. At 67 inches long, the cord on this model is shorter than those of the Day-Light Classic Plus and the Boxelite.

An illuminated Bright Health light therapy lamp.

If you dislike the flat, rectangular light surfaces of most SAD lamps: Consider the cylindrical Bright Health 24-Inch Light Therapy Lamp . It emits the same 10,000 lux of 4,000 Kelvin light at a distance of 12 inches and is covered by the same five-year warranty as the Carex Day-Light Classic Plus . Yet it has a smaller overall footprint and feels far less clunky in our living space. “While most devices have a broader surface to reduce glare and increase comfort, the main issue is whether people will use it routinely,” said Dr. Jamie M. Zeitzer , a co-director at Stanford University’s Center for Sleep and Circadian Sciences. Some users may find the cylindrical design difficult to look at or to position in a way to get the enhanced light, but “if the cylindrical design makes the user feel better about having it out in the abode, then that’s great.” (The Bright Health lamp also comes in a 14-inch-tall version , but we think most people will find the taller lamp easier to position for maximum efficacy.)

If our top pick is unavailable, or if space is a concern, consider the Carex Day-Light Sky , which is a slightly smaller version of the Day-Light Classic Plus. Both have a long neck and swivel head for custom positioning. The Day-Light Sky’s base is teal.

For smaller spaces, Carex's TheraLite Aura is a serviceable budget option with a reported 10,000-lux output at 12 inches. Its overall footprint is less than half the size of our top pick’s; its light surface, in particular, is significantly smaller. This lamp is also less adjustable, allowing only repositioning of the light surface’s upward/downward angle (you cannot change the height). The smaller size and reduced adjustability limit your positioning options.

The compact Carex  TheraLite is less expensive than our budget pick , but it’s nearly half the size. Its 3,000 Kelvin color temperature also isn’t adjustable.

We chose not to test the compact Amazon Basics Light Therapy Lamp (currently unavailable) due to middling reviews.

In 2020, Carex came out with three new TheraLite lamps, all of which reportedly project 10,000 lux of light and have interesting features, but their one-year warranties aren’t competitive with our picks’ longer coverage periods. The Halo includes Qi wireless cell phone charging and six levels of brightness, while the Radiance includes a built-in alarm clock plus Qi wireless cell phone charging and five levels of brightness. The Aura Qi is an updated version of the Aura and includes a built-in alarm clock plus Qi wireless cell phone charging and four levels of brightness. In our tests, however, after 30 minutes of use it became very hot to the touch, reaching 110 degrees Fahrenheit.

The Verilux HappyLight Full-Size (VT20) is about the same price as our budget pick but lacks a countdown timer.

The Circadian Optics Lumine Light Therapy Lamp is extremely small, with a light surface of only 6 by 6 inches, which makes it difficult to achieve the optimal distance for therapeutic benefit.

Northern Light Technologies’s Boxelite-OS seemed like a promising alternative to the comparatively clinical-looking Carex Day-Light Classic Plus, but we found its two-legged adjustable design unwieldy. We also discovered that the light surface quickly collected dust and put off a considerable amount of heat (including for quite a while after we had switched the light off). The Day-Light Classic Plus, which we tested in a side-by-side comparison with the Boxelite-OS, seemed to produce much less heat when it was on and became cool to the touch just moments after we switched it off. Although both models have rather large footprints, we found it easier to position a laptop beneath the Day-Light Classic Plus than under the Boxelite-OS, especially within a small workspace.

The Aura Daylight Therapy Lamp , which regularly costs more than our top pick , has a streamlined design like our also-great pick ’s with a slightly smaller footprint. Although it’s typically less expensive than the Boxelite, you need to sit much closer to this lamp to receive 10,000 lux of light, the manufacturer says (positioning yourself no more than 8 inches away from the light surface). The Aura Daylight also has a shorter warranty period—two years—than our picks.

The Sphere Gadget Technologies Lightphoria  (currently unavailable), a best seller on Amazon, is too small to provide enough of an illuminated surface.

We dismissed the Travelite and the Luxor , both by Northern Light Technologies, for their smaller light panels and lesser reviews, respectively. The company’s Flamingo lamp, affixed to a 4-foot-tall floor stand, regularly costs more than twice as much as our top pick and almost $100 more than our also-great pick .

Although the Alaska Northern Lights NorthStar 10,000 meets the recommended criteria for a light therapy lamp and has excellent customer reviews, at a typical price of $300 it costs over two times as much as our top pick.

This article was edited by Tracy Vence and Kalee Thompson.

Raymond W Lam, et al., Efficacy of Bright Light Treatment, Fluoxetine, and the Combination in Patients With Nonseasonal Major Depressive Disorder: A Randomized Clinical Trial , JAMA Psychiatry , January 1, 2016

Nicole Praschak-Rieder, MD, Matthäus Willeit, MD, Treatment of seasonal affective disorders , Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience , December 1, 2003

Canadian Consensus Group on SAD, Canadian Consensus Guidelines for the Treatment of Seasonal Affective Disorder

CI Eastman, MA Young, LF Fogg, L Liu, PM Meaden, Bright light treatment of winter depression: a placebo-controlled trial. , Archives of General Psychiatry , October 1, 1998

Robert N Golden, et al., The efficacy of light therapy in the treatment of mood disorders: a review and meta-analysis of the evidence , American Journal of Psychiatry , April 1, 2005

Raymond W Lam, et al., The Can-SAD study: a randomized controlled trial of the effectiveness of light therapy and fluoxetine in patients with winter seasonal affective disorder , American Journal of Psychiatry , May 1, 2006

Alfred Lewy, MD, PhD, director, Sleep and Mood Disorders Laboratory at Oregon Health & Science University , phone interview

Norman E. Rosenthal, MD, Winter Blues , September 4, 2012

Elizabeth Saenger, PhD, director of education at the Center for Environmental Therapeutics , interview

Teodor Postolache, PhD, professor of psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine , phone interview

Jamie M. Zeitzer, PhD, co-director, Center for Sleep and Circadian Sciences , email interview , November 1, 2022

Meet your guides

sunlight travel light

Kit Dillon is a senior staff writer at Wirecutter. He was previously an app developer, oil derrick inspector, public-radio archivist, and sandwich shop owner. He has written for Popular Science, The Awl, and the New York Observer, among others. When called on, he can still make a mean sandwich.

sunlight travel light

Anna Perling

Anna Perling is a former staff writer covering kitchen gear at Wirecutter. During her time at Wirecutter, she reported on various topics including sports bras, board games, and light bulbs. Previously she wrote food and lifestyle pieces for Saveur and Kinfolk magazines. Anna is a mentor at Girls Write Now and a member of the Online News Association.

sunlight travel light

Nancy Redd is a senior staff writer covering health and grooming at Wirecutter. She is a GLAAD Award–nominated on-air host and a New York Times best-selling author. Her latest nonfiction book, The Real Body Manual , is a visual health and wellness guide for young adults of all genders. Her other books include Bedtime Bonnet and Pregnancy, OMG!

Further reading

A wall-mounted nightstand that has a wooden shelf on top and a rounded metal cubby underneath it. In the cubby there are several magazines and a book, and on top of the shelf there is a houseplant and a pair of sunglasses.

Small Bedroom Ideas: The Best Ways to Maximize Your Tiny Space

by Caroline Biggs

We consulted five design experts and tested gear in a 275-square-foot apartment to find the best multifunctional decor to maximize space in a tiny bedroom.

Philips Wake-Up Light HF3520

What to Buy: How Not to Feel Dead Tired This Winter

by Joanne Chen

Many sleep-promoting products don’t actually do much. Here are four expert-approved strategies for improving sleep quality.

A Japanese futon shown partially rolled up.

I’ve Never Slept Better Than on a Japanese Futon

by Courtney Schley

One of the editors on the Wirecutter sleep team has tested dozens of mattresses, but she still misses her Japanese futon.

The Riley Textured Cotton Coverlet in white.

The Best Blankets

by Jackie Reeve

These seven good-looking, durable blankets will work for a variety of seasons and styles, on top of the bed or layered with other bedding for extra warmth.

Sun and Earth

  • How Long Does It Take Sunlight To Reach Earth?

The sun is the largest, most massive object in the solar system , and it is also the primary source of light for all the planets . Everyday we feel the warmth of the sun’s light, and without it, life on Earth would not exist. Interestingly, light from the sun does not reach our planet instantaneously. Rather, since the speed of light is a finite number and the sun is located about 93-million miles (150-million kilometres) away, it takes about 8-minutes for light from the sun to reach Earth.

Speed Of Light

The sun

Light is the fastest known thing in the universe, and the speed of light represents a kind of cosmic speed limit that, as far as the laws of nature suggest, cannot be surpassed. The speed of light is approximately 186,000-miles per second (300,000-kilometres per second). That is extremely fast, yet it is still a finite number, and so the further away a source of light is, the longer it takes for that light to reach our eyes. 

Distance To The Sun

Earth and sun

The Earth orbits the sun at an average distance of 93-million miles (150-million kilometres). At this distance, there is a noticeable delay in when light emitted by the sun reaches our world. In fact, just by knowing the speed of light and the distance between the sun and Earth, you can calculate how long it takes for that light to reach us quite easily. You simply divide distance by speed and you get time. In this case, you divide 93-million miles by 186,000-miles per second to get 500-seconds, which can be converted to minutes by multiplying 500-seconds by 60, which gives you 8.3-minutes. Thus, it takes just a little over 8-minutes for light from the sun to reach the Earth. This also means that we never see the sun as it currently exists. Rather, we always see the sun as it was 8-minutes ago. For example, if the sun were to suddenly disappear, we would not notice for a full 8-minutes. 

What About The Other Planets?

Solar system

Since every planet in the solar system orbits the sun at a different distance, the amount of time it takes for sunlight to reach each of them is also different. The closer a planet is to the sun, the less time it takes. For example, Mercury is the closest planet to the sun and it takes about 3.2-minutes for sunlight to reach it. For Venus it’s about 6-minutes, and for Mars it takes 12.6-minutes. Thus, it takes less than 13-minutes for sunlight to reach all of the inner planets in our solar system. However, it takes much longer for sunlight to reach the gas giants. It takes 43.2-minutes for sunlight to reach Jupiter , and 79.3-minutes for it to reach Saturn . For Uranus , it takes 159.6-minutes, and for Neptune , it takes just over 4-hours. 

Time it Takes for Sunlight to Reach Each Planet

More in science.

The International Space Station, NASA

How Many Space Stations Are There In Space?

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The Different Causes Behind Sky and Oceans' Shared Blue Color

Illustration of the early moments of the universe

Can We Explain The Beginning Of The Universe?

Illustration of the 9th planet.

The Stray Planet That Escaped Our Solar System

Seeds of bacteria or alien life in space, concept of Panspermia.

Can Bacteria Survive in Space?

A close up of Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, and the Sun.

Why Does Venus Rotate Slowly Despite Being So Close to the Sun?

infographic showing why the earth is not perfectly round

Why Isn't Earth Perfectly Round?

Render of a close-up view of one of Pluto's ice volcanoes. The surface is rugged with visible cracks, and plumes of icy particles can be seen erupting from the summit.

The Giant Ice Volcanoes On Pluto

Catba Open Tours

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10 things to do in Lan Ha bay – an untouched paradise in the northern Vietnam

Cho thuê tàu du lịch hạ long

Cho thuê tàu du lịch hạ long

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Travel guide.

When to visit cat ba island – the best time for your trip

When to visit cat ba island – the best time for your trip

Things to do in cat ba island – you should know before coming

Things to do in cat ba island – you should know before coming

10 things to do in Lan Ha bay – an untouched paradise in the northern Vietnam

10 things to do in Lan Ha bay – an untouched paradise in the northern Vietnam

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Shuttle from Hanoi to halong bay

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Best Travel Night Light Reviews in 2022

Nightlights are beneficial, both for kids and adults. They can illuminate fixtures, stairways, and potential obstacles to guarantee your safety while walking to the bathroom at night.

Also, they can illuminate a kid’s room to eliminate the kid’s fear of the dark and to ensure a mom’s safety while making late night visits.

Apart from using a nightlight at home, you could consider getting one that is best suited for traveling.

Such a nightlight should be portable , which means that it should have a battery power option, and feature a size and weight that will favor you while traveling.

Given the variety of nightlights available for you to choose from, getting the best travel nightlight is not easy.

To help you make the right decision, this guide consists of the best travel nightlights available on the market today. Read on:

best buy travel night light

In a hurry? There are the best we picked for you:

Small and Compact in Size, Cute Cloud Design: Droiee Night Light

Able to Set Regular Sleep-Wake Routine, With Soothing Sounds for Stressful Workers: Hatch Sleeping Light with Clock

With Dusk to Dawn Sensor for Automatic Illumination and Pleasing Light: Maz-Tek Plug in Nightlight

Benefits of Using a Night Light When Travelling

1. Better visibility of the surrounding

A travel nightlight can offer better visibility of the surroundings you are not accustomed to.

Come to think about it; In new places, you are likely to step on obstacles or trip over furniture and other items since you are not used to such environments.

To protect that from occurring, a nightlight can cast a soft glow that will let you view the surroundings without the fear of waking the people you are sharing the room.

2. Help children sleep

Babies are most likely to be insecure while sleeping in new environments. They could end up waking up traumatized or disturbed in the middle of the night.

To prevent that from happening, you could opt to get a travel nightlight.

Its dim illumination provides a sense of security by enabling kids to view the surroundings and be sure that they are sleeping in a safe place.

  • Check out the best night lamps for kids afriad of dark

3. Assist with toilet trips

When traveling, you will need a nightlight to assist with toilet trips.

The reason behind this is that you do not want to wake the people you are sharing a room with, using the bright light of a flashlight.

To avoid that, the soft glow of a nightlight can make it possible to walk through new environments without the fear of hitting onto something or disrupting the sleep of the people you are sharing a room with.

Reviews of the best travel nightlights

Taotronics led nursery lamp – with long runtime.

kids portable night lights

Taking the lead in this review is TaoTronics LED Nursery Lamp. As one of the best choices for a travel nightlight, it features an IP65 waterproof design and a long-lasting battery.

Because of the waterproof design, you can carry it for outdoor activities, thus an excellent choice for hiking, family trips, adventures, and camping.

Also, the nightlight is compact and lightweight to enhance portability.

The nursery lamp derives its power from a battery that lasts up to 5 hours in the maximum brightness and up to 80 hours in the minimum brightness.

Kid-friendly nightlight

The Taotronics is an excellent choice for a nightlight for use in nurseries. It is best suited for use by kids, thanks to the thoughtful design that makes it your kid’s favorite source of illumination.

The nightlight is made of top-grade ABS and PC plastic. These materials are BPA-free to create an environment that is safe for the kids.

Better still, the nightlight comes with expression stickers. Using the 20 cute facial expressions, kids can bring in a sense of fun and creativity and turn the lamp into their favorite companion.

Easy to operate

Still, this nightlight is easy to use. It has easy touch control. The touch control is located on the top of the nightlight and designed in such a way that kids can easily learn to use it and play with it.

Kids can touch the top of the nightlight to dim the light’s brightness.

Also, they can touch the logo to adjust the light color. Double tapping the top can switch the nightlight on or off.

Finally, a physical button based on the bottom allows you to cycle through weak, strong, and SOS mode.

Energy-efficient LED bulbs

The Taotronics nightlight integrates energy-efficient LED bulbs. These bulbs deliver a uniform light that doesn’t flicker to protect your kid’s eyes.

The light’s color is adjustable from cool white to warm white, which means that you can create the ideal lighting for reading or cuddling a baby to sleep.

CHWARES Portable LED Night Light

easy to carry on rechargeable night light

The Chwares is a multi-functional LED nightlight. Whether you need a nightlight for traveling, camping, or one that will accompany you all night, it is one of the best choices.

The nightlight is made of flexible silicone materials. The silicone parts are soft to touch and washable for the kids’ safety.

Adding to that, the nightlight is portable and cute, thus an ideal choice for a nightlight that will bring you a warm feeling plus accompany you all night.

Adjustable lighting

Designed to cast an ideal light suitable for different occasions, Chwares Children Night Light offers an adjustable illumination.

It offers three modes of warm white light and seven color-changing light modes. You can use the nightlight to create a soft atmosphere to comfort kids to sleep.

Plus, you can set it to cast the light in seven colors to create a romantic atmosphere.

Sensitive control

Easy to operate, this nightlight has a sensitive tap control and an on/off button. Pressing the on/off button on the back of the lamp allows you to turn it on or off.

Also, you can press the sensitive tap control to change the light mode or light color.

Battery powered

Recommended as one of the best travel nightlights, this nightlight derives its power from a 1200mAH rechargeable battery.

The high-quality lithium battery takes 3-4 hours to recharge. After a full charge, you can use it for 12-15 hours depending on the lighting mode.

UNIFUN Night Light with 360 Degree Touch Panel – Easy to Use

touch sensitive night light for travel

Third, we have the Unifun Touch Lamp. The lamp comes in a package that contains a micro USB cable and user manual.

Also, there is a lithium polymer battery. The battery lasts up to 8hours on the minimum brightness and up to 4 hours on the maximum brightness.

Touch control panel

As the name suggests, this is a touch lamp nightlight. It features an easy touch control.

The touch-activated control requires you to touch it over three seconds so that you can turn the light on or off.

Additionally, the control allows you to customize the light color and brightness.

Adjustable brightness and light color

The Unifun Nightlight is an ideal choice for various events. It casts a light whose brightness is adjustable.

This means that you can customize the brightness level to low, medium, or high for comfortable illumination in different places.

Better, the nightlight adopts an Autocycle RGB color combination. Because of this, you can set a fixed (red, green, or blue) light color or set the light to cycle through different light colors.

Eye-friendly illumination

Finally, the Unifun nightlight features a 360° light panel. The panel delivers a uniform and delicate light.

This means that you do not have to worry about a harsh light that will wake the baby or affect his or her eyes.

SecurityMan Baby Night Light for Kids

adjustable flash night light for travel

The ideal nightlight, whether you need one for a bedside or baby’s room is the SecurityMan Baby Night.

When plugged in, it automatically wakes up after a power outage so that you will never have to switch it on manually.

The nightlight uses LED bulbs that stay cool to the touch for the user’s safety. Also, it includes easy-to-use controls for easy operation.

The SecurityMan nightlight is suitable for use in different environments. It has two light modes comprising a warm white color and cool white color.

These colors have an adjustable level of brightness, which makes the nightlight suitable for use in different settings.

Rechargeable nightlight

What’s more, this is a wireless nightlight. It derives its power from a rechargeable battery. The battery lasts up to 28 hours in the low power mode for reliable use day and night.

Besides that, the nightlight features a smart charging dock with an anti-skid base. You can plug it into any USB port to keep the nightlight charged.

Safe for children

If you need a travel nightlight that is safe for kids, I would recommend the SecurityMan Baby Night Light.

It features class-3 insulation to protect the user from shock. Better, the nightlight is IPX4 waterproof, thus safe for use in outdoor environments.

Designed to cast a light that isn’t harsh on the eyes, the nightlight is 100% suitable for use in nurseries.

Gladle Magnetic Bedside Night Light – With Timer Settings

travel night light with timer

This is a magnetic nightlight for kids. It is compact and lightweight for portability. The nightlight derives its power from a 2200mAh internal rechargeable battery.

On a full charge, the batteries can deliver up to 100 hours of use in the darkest light setting and up to 6 hours of use in the brightest light setting.

Adjustable light color and brightness

This nightlight offers three light modes. The options include 2700k warm light, 6500k cool light, and a 256RGB color spectrum.

Thus, you can customize the light color to suit your mood. In the warm light mode and cool light mode, you can adjust the brightness by long pressing the top.

Built-in magnet and timer

What’s more, the nightlight comes with a metal plate with back adhesive.

You can stick the nightlight to metal surfaces directly or use the back adhesive to attach it to non-metallic surfaces.

To enhance the lifetime of the batteries, the nightlight integrates a 1-hour timer.

You can tap the timer button so that you can set the nightlight to stay on for a set amount of time to save the batteries.

Safe and durable lighting source

Gladle Bedside Night Light is a safe and durable source of lighting. The nightlight is durable so that it can withstand child play.

Also, it is made of toy-grade ABS and BPA-free silicone, assuring you that it is non-toxic and safe for use by kids.

The nightlight delivers a soft alluring glow making it is safe to use in a nursery or kid’s bedroom.

Munchkin Light My Way Nightlight

battery powered night light for travel

The Light My Way Nightlight is perfect for adults and toddlers. It adopts a one-button control for easy operation.

The adorable owl nightlight can comfort toddlers during bedtime and provide reassurance following scary dreams.

Safe to use, the nightlight features a cuddly design while emitting a soft low illumination to protect your kid’s eyes.

Portable nightlight

The Munchkin nightlight is portable, thus an ideal choice for the best travel night light. It is compact and lightweight for portability.

Furthermore, the nightlight is 100% battery-operated to eliminate the need for having cords and charging stations near your toddler.

Automatic timer

If you need a travel nightlight with a long-lasting battery, I would recommend the Munchkin Light My Way Nightlight.

It has an automatic timer that enables the light to go off automatically within 20 minutes. Thus, the nightlight doesn’t consume unnecessary power for a long-lasting battery.

Mubarek Cute Dog Night Light

cute travel night light for baby boy

If you are looking for a travel nightlight that is easy to operate, Mubarek Night Light is an excellent option. It has an on/off button that makes it easy to switch on or put off.

Also, there is a sensitive touch control. The control is easy to press so that you can switch between a seven-color rotating mode and a standard warm light mode.

Soothing nightlight

Designed for use by kids, this is a soothing nightlight. It is super cute, thus an ideal gift for toddlers, babies, puppy lovers, and adults.

The nightlight uses LED light bulbs. Besides durability, these bulbs emit a non-flickering light that is safe on babies’ eyes.

Still, the eye-caring LEDs do not get hot to the touch, thus suitable for use in homes with kids and pets.

Lasting battery and a timer

Something else that makes the Mubarek Night Light for Kids an ideal choice for a travel nightlight is the long-lasting battery and timer.

The nightlight includes a built-in 1200mAh battery. The battery supports a portable usage of up to 15 hours after a full charge.

Better still, the nightlight has an automatic shutdown timer.

The timer makes it possible to customize the operation time for 30 minutes or 60 minutes so that the nightlight can go off after the depletion of that time to save the batteries.

All-night companion

This nightlight can function as an all-night companion. Its rechargeable battery supports more than 10 hours of use.

Furthermore, the cute nightlight features a cuddly and portable design to allow kids to carry it anywhere and play with it.

S. SELDORAUK LED Modern Wireless Tap Lights – Small Size

night light for adults and seniors

The best travel light for hiking or camping is S. Seldorauk LED Nursery Light. It features a handy size that allows you to take it along with other tools without weighing you down.

The nightlight derives its energy from a 500mAh polymer lithium battery for portability. The battery is USB rechargeable for reliability and convenience.

Dimmable nightlight

The S. Seldorauk is a dimmable nightlight. Whether you need a bright illumination for reading or a dim illumination that will allow you to wake up at night, it is one of the best choices.

It features a full-range step-less dimmer for easy adjustment of the brightness.

The nightlight saves the last brightness setting, which means that you don’t have to reset it after switching it on.

Energy-saving LEDs

This is an energy-saving nightlight. It uses LED bulbs that enable it to offer 2.5 hours to 3 hours of continuous lighting in the highest brightness setting.

In the normal brightness, the nightlight can last for up to 24hours.

Droiee Cloud Night Light for Grils – Appealing Look

soft night light for travel

The ultimate choice for a travel nightlight, whether you need one for a kid’s room, kitchen, restroom, or bedroom, is Droiee Night Light.

Easy to use, the nightlight has dual on/off controls. This means that kids can put it on or off without your help.

Soft illumination

Besides ease of use, the nightlight casts a smooth soft brightness. The soft illumination can brighten a room without waking them.

Also, the light doesn’t glare or flicker, which means that you do not have to worry about it hurting the baby’s eyes.

Multiple charging options

Designed for user convenience and reliable illumination, this nightlight has multiple charging options.

You can connect it to a USB cable for direct charging. Still, you can insert AAA batteries in case of a power outage or when you need a portable nightlight.

How to Choose the Best Travel Night Light? 

how to choose the right travel night light for kids and adults

1. Dimensions of the nightlight

The best travel nightlight should be portable. Therefore, look for a compact nightlight.

Such a nightlight should feature dimensions that will fit into your luggage bag or backpack without straining you.

Moreover, it should be lightweight and designed in such a way that it will not add much weight to your luggage for convenience while traveling.

2. Power requirements

Nightlights are of two types: Battery-powered nightlights and plug-in nightlights.

When looking for the best travel nightlight, I would recommend that you opt for the battery-powered models.

Besides, you could get a plug-in nightlight but opt for one with a battery backup.

The reason I would recommend that is to ensure that you are sorted out should you be in a place without a power outlet.

Once you get a battery-powered model , be sure that the batteries can last for long.

Alternatively, get spare batteries to ensure that you will always be sorted out should the batteries run out.

3. Materials

Which materials is the travel nightlight made of? The best model must be made of durable and safe materials.

Therefore, if you are getting a nightlight that is made of plastics, look for one that doesn’t contain lead, latex, BPA, or phthalates.

Also, ensure that the nightlight highlights a solid build to assure you of long-lasting performance, without the fear of break downs or stopping to work.

4. Pet or child-friendliness

If your travel nightlight is for kids or homes with pets, I would recommend that you purchase a kid and pet-friendly nightlight.

In simple terms, get a nightlight with bulbs that remain cool to the touch to protect small hands from getting burnt.

Also, get a model that emits a glare-free night to protect the eyes from harm.

A nightlight that is made of shatterproof materials is also worth it, while it must not contain small parts likely to be swallowed by the kid or pet.

And, if the nightlight is for accompanying kids when sleeping, get a model that features plushy and soft materials to allow kids to cuddle with it.

  • Check top comfortable night lights for baby !

5. Bulb type

Different nightlights use different types of bulbs. Some nightlights use LED bulbs, incandescent bulbs, CFLs, or halogen bulbs.

When looking for the best travel nightlight, I would recommend one that uses LEDs.

LEDs are long-lasting types of bulbs, which means that they can last for years without requiring you to spend lots of cash to replace them.

Additionally, LEDs emit an eye-friendly light to protect the eyes from harm.

Best of all, LEDs do not get hot after hours of illumination, which means that you can get them when looking for the best nightlight for homes with kids or pets.

6. Brightness level

The best travel nightlight should provide illumination with adjustable brightness.

After all, you do not want a nightlight that will provide a light that is too bright since this would affect your sleep.

Still, a nightlight that delivers a light that is too dim could provide insufficient illumination, which could make it difficult for you to see around.

Therefore, opt for a nightlight with adjustable brightness to let you customize the brightness to suit your needs.

There you have it; the best travel nightlights available on the market today.

For a peaceful night of sleep and to assure your kids that all is fine while spending a night in new places, I would recommend that you buy one of the reviewed products because of the affordable prices and for the best value for money.

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Illustration of stars blurring past from the perspective of moving quickly through space

Why does time change when traveling close to the speed of light? A physicist explains

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Assistant Professor of Physics and Astronomy, Rochester Institute of Technology

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Michael Lam does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Rochester Institute of Technology provides funding as a member of The Conversation US.

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Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to [email protected] .

Why does time change when traveling close to the speed of light? – Timothy, age 11, Shoreview, Minnesota

Imagine you’re in a car driving across the country watching the landscape. A tree in the distance gets closer to your car, passes right by you, then moves off again in the distance behind you.

Of course, you know that tree isn’t actually getting up and walking toward or away from you. It’s you in the car who’s moving toward the tree. The tree is moving only in comparison, or relative, to you – that’s what we physicists call relativity . If you had a friend standing by the tree, they would see you moving toward them at the same speed that you see them moving toward you.

In his 1632 book “ Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems ,” the astronomer Galileo Galilei first described the principle of relativity – the idea that the universe should behave the same way at all times, even if two people experience an event differently because one is moving in respect to the other.

If you are in a car and toss a ball up in the air, the physical laws acting on it, such as the force of gravity, should be the same as the ones acting on an observer watching from the side of the road. However, while you see the ball as moving up and back down, someone on the side of the road will see it moving toward or away from them as well as up and down.

Special relativity and the speed of light

Albert Einstein much later proposed the idea of what’s now known as special relativity to explain some confusing observations that didn’t have an intuitive explanation at the time. Einstein used the work of many physicists and astronomers in the late 1800s to put together his theory in 1905, starting with two key ingredients: the principle of relativity and the strange observation that the speed of light is the same for every observer and nothing can move faster. Everyone measuring the speed of light will get the same result, no matter where they are or how fast they are moving.

Let’s say you’re in the car driving at 60 miles per hour and your friend is standing by the tree. When they throw a ball toward you at a speed of what they perceive to be 60 miles per hour, you might logically think that you would observe your friend and the tree moving toward you at 60 miles per hour and the ball moving toward you at 120 miles per hour. While that’s really close to the correct value, it’s actually slightly wrong.

This discrepancy between what you might expect by adding the two numbers and the true answer grows as one or both of you move closer to the speed of light. If you were traveling in a rocket moving at 75% of the speed of light and your friend throws the ball at the same speed, you would not see the ball moving toward you at 150% of the speed of light. This is because nothing can move faster than light – the ball would still appear to be moving toward you at less than the speed of light. While this all may seem very strange, there is lots of experimental evidence to back up these observations.

Time dilation and the twin paradox

Speed is not the only factor that changes relative to who is making the observation. Another consequence of relativity is the concept of time dilation , whereby people measure different amounts of time passing depending on how fast they move relative to one another.

Each person experiences time normally relative to themselves. But the person moving faster experiences less time passing for them than the person moving slower. It’s only when they reconnect and compare their watches that they realize that one watch says less time has passed while the other says more.

This leads to one of the strangest results of relativity – the twin paradox , which says that if one of a pair of twins makes a trip into space on a high-speed rocket, they will return to Earth to find their twin has aged faster than they have. It’s important to note that time behaves “normally” as perceived by each twin (exactly as you are experiencing time now), even if their measurements disagree.

You might be wondering: If each twin sees themselves as stationary and the other as moving toward them, wouldn’t they each measure the other as aging faster? The answer is no, because they can’t both be older relative to the other twin.

The twin on the spaceship is not only moving at a particular speed where the frame of references stay the same but also accelerating compared with the twin on Earth. Unlike speeds that are relative to the observer, accelerations are absolute. If you step on a scale, the weight you are measuring is actually your acceleration due to gravity. This measurement stays the same regardless of the speed at which the Earth is moving through the solar system, or the solar system is moving through the galaxy or the galaxy through the universe.

Neither twin experiences any strangeness with their watches as one moves closer to the speed of light – they both experience time as normally as you or I do. It’s only when they meet up and compare their observations that they will see a difference – one that is perfectly defined by the mathematics of relativity.

Hello, curious kids! Do you have a question you’d like an expert to answer? Ask an adult to send your question to [email protected] . Please tell us your name, age and the city where you live.

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When is daylight saving time 2024? Millions have sunsets after 6 pm as time change approaches

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Do you feel it in the air? Spring is coming, and the start of longer daylight hours is well underway.

And with daylight saving time starting in March, most Americans will soon have even more hours in the sun. Even ahead of of the time change, there are already cities in every continental U.S. time zone that are reporting sunset times after 6 p.m. as the Earth and the Northern Hemisphere begins its tilt toward the sun.

The time adjustment affects the daily lives of hundreds of millions of Americans, prompting clock changes, contributing to  less sleep  in the days following and, of course, later sunsets.

Here's what to know about the start of daylight saving time in 2024.

When is daylight saving time in 2024?

Daylight saving time will begin for 2024 on Sunday, March 10 at 2 a.m. local time, when our clocks will go ahead one hour, part of the twice-annual time change that affects millions, but not all , Americans.

Have the days been getting longer?

The winter solstice, which occurs annually on Dec. 21, is the day with the shortest daylight hours each year. Since then, the days have been gradually getting longer.

Because the sun rises in the east and sets in the west , cities that are located eastward experience sunrise before more more westward cities.

Ahead of daylight saving time, which starts this month, some areas are already experiencing later sunset times. On the East Coast, parts of states like Maine , New Hampshire , Vermont , New York and Connecticut are already recording sunsets after 5:30 p.m. ET, according to TimeandDate.com .

Sunset times get later as you move westward though time zones, and cities on the western edge of Eastern Standard Time like Detroit and Indianapolis have sunsets around 6:30 p.m. ET.

The same concept plays out in each of the continental United States' four time zones, with cities on the easternmost edge of each time zone recording sunset times roughly between 5:30 and 5:45 p.m. local time.

What is daylight saving time?

Daylight saving time  is the time between March and November when most Americans adjust their clocks by one hour.

We lose an hour in March (as opposed to gaining an hour in the fall) to accommodate for more daylight in the summer evenings. When we "fall back" in November, it's to add more daylight in the mornings. 

When is the spring equinox?

In the Northern Hemisphere, the vernal, or spring equinox is March 19, marking the start of the spring season. 

When does daylight saving time end in 2024?

In 2024, daylight saving time will end for the year at 2 a.m. local time on Sunday, Nov. 3. It will pick up again next year on Sunday, March 9, 2025.

Is daylight saving time ending permanently?

The push to stop changing clocks was put before Congress in the last couple of years, when the U.S. Senate unanimously approved the  Sunshine Protection Act  in 2022, a bill that would make daylight saving time permanent. However, it did not pass in the  U.S. House of Representatives  and, therefore, was not signed into law by President Joe Biden.

A  2023 version of the act  remained idle in Congress as well.

Does every state observe daylight saving time?

Not all states and U.S. territories  participate  in daylight saving time.

Hawaii and Arizona (with the exception of the Navajo Nation) do not observe daylight saving time, and neither do the territories of American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Because of its desert climate,  Arizona  doesn't follow daylight saving time. After most of the U.S. adopted the Uniform Time Act, the state figured that there wasn't a good reason to adjust clocks to make sunset occur an hour later during the hottest months of the year.

The Navajo Nation, which spans Arizona, Utah and New Mexico, does follow daylight saving time.

Hawaii is the other state that does not observe daylight saving time. Because of its proximity to the equator, there is not a lot of variance between hours of daylight during the year.

Amtrak’s California Zephyr turns 75 and is still chugging

As passengers boarded the daily 2 p.m. train at union station for san francisco, they were greeted with cake and balloons marking the anniversary. fans love the scenic vistas, ample legroom and unhurried pace..

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Passengers boarding the California Zephyr on Tuesday afternoon were served cake as Amtrak celebrates the 75th anniversary of the line. The trip from Chicago to San Francisco takes 51 hours and 20 minutes.

Mitch Dudek/Sun-Times

All aboard!

The California Zephyr just turned 75, and the Chicago-to-San Francisco Amtrak train — known for its breathtaking scenery — is still chugging along.

A ceremony with cake and balloons was held Tuesday at Union Station to mark the occasion before the train's daily 2 p.m. departure.

"It's legendary. I had to see it for myself," Adam McBride, a waiter from Philadelphia, said before embarking on the 51 hour and 20 minute journey.

With any luck, he'll be able to look out the window and see the bald eagles that are known to hang out along the Mississippi River as the train passes from Illinois into Iowa.

The trip is timed so that passengers can sleep through the monotony of Nebraska and wake up to the Rocky Mountains of Colorado before heading into Utah's desert.

Amtrak 150 Spanish Fork Canyon Original Size.jpg

The California Zephyr rolls through Spanish Fork Canyon in Utah.

AC Pedersen

Ahead of its maiden voyage on March 20, 1949, an advertisement in the Chicago Daily News — which later merged with the Sun-Times — declared: "See for yourself what it's like to sit in a 'Penthouse on Wheels.'"

Passengers could take in the views from the glass "vista dome" cars.

And while observation cars are still a key selling point, one feature from back in the day is gone for good: Zephyrettes, the train's equivalent of flight attendants.

Zephyrettes had to be between 5 feet 4 and 5 feet 8 and be able to fit into a stylish uniform.

Their run ended — along with the fine china and real silver in dining cars — when the California Zephyr, which had been run by several private railroad companies, was discontinued in 1970. The name was resurrected by Amtrak in 1983.

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Cathy Moran was one the last of the Zephyrettes, serving until the last of the original California Zephyr trains ceased oepration in 1970. She is pictured here with Ernie von Ibsch, a Western Pacific brakeman who later became her husband.

The train is affectionately known as "The CZ" and "Silver Lady" by rail fans.

As Iris Berto, 23, boarded the train Tuesday, she looked forward to napping. "Train naps are the best thing ever. The rocking of the train puts you right to sleep," she said, noting she can stretch out a bit more than she'd be able to on an airplane.

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A neon sign on the California Zephyr features an image of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Marc Magliari, a spokesman for Amtrak, told passengers: "We don't want anyone to miss your train this afternoon, but please help yourself to a piece of cake."

Passengers in the lounge car of the California Zephyr between Emeryville, Calif., and Reno, Nev. The 236-mile journey follows the path of the 19th-century Transcontinental Railroad.

Passengers in the lounge car of the California Zephyr between Emeryville, Calif., and Reno, Nev. The 236-mile journey follows the path of the 19th-century Transcontinental Railroad.

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The entryway to the train platform was decorated with balloons. Some passengers didn't realize the significance of the journey.

"Cool," said one woman, who was heading west to see her sick son.

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Travel | travel: 3 bachelorette party destinations for nature lovers, peak wedding season starts in may..

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By Ebony Williams, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

ATLANTA — Peak wedding season starts in May, which means it’s almost time to start planning bachelorette parties. If you’re in the middle of preparing for a memorable event but don’t know about the location, don’t worry — we can help you with that.

Las Vegas, Nashville and Miami are most common for the bachelorette scene. However, if you and your crew are fans of the outdoors or want something different and unique, there are other options that can be just as fun as dancing in a bar.

Here are three bachelorette party destinations for nature lovers.

Sedona, Arizona

Sedona Arizona Scenics

Although there aren’t white sandy beaches, Sedona has red sand and rocks that make for a lovely backdrop for any picture. If you’re looking for a fun, laid-back vibe or thrill-seeking adventure, this is the perfect place to be.

Rent a pink Jeep and explore the mountains or take a spa day at one of the many resorts. If you and your friends really want to party it up, Scottsdale is almost a two-hour drive away, with downtown locations bustling with bachelorette festivities.

Stowe, Vermont

Fall colors show on trees along a countr

The Green Mountain State is known for many small towns and their unique charms. A popular stay hosting bachelorette and wedding parties is Edson Hill — a boutique luxury hotel sitting on 38 acres. It features a five-star restaurant, spas, brew tours and an adventure package designed to bring the most fun for your event.

Whether you stay at a resort or in a cabin, be sure to venture out and experience all Stowe has to offer, from trails to waterfalls, before diving into the local culture of the art and food scene.

Big Sur, California

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Big Sur is camping in style, with endless beauty of the mountains and fresh air. If you want a cozy experience filled with hiking, food and glamping, the mountains of California are the way to go.

When you’re tired of smelling like firewood and want to relax elsewhere, you can take one of the many trails or a short car ride to the coast and enjoy beaches with private vibes.

When on the hunt for the perfect bachelorette location, your destination should be as unique as you are. Sedona, Bug Sur and Stowe are just a few places offering outdoor experiences to build perfect memories leading up to your wedding day.

©2024 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Visit at  ajc.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Travel | Is it safe to travel to Egypt? The data — and travelers — say yes

Napa Valley wineries, eateries and shopping abound in Yountville, where hot air balloons soar overhead, new tasting rooms have opened and some of the tastiest eateries line the streets.

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The city has starred countless times on the silver screen and television and is always coming up in popular music, too, with many of these Miami-centric works becoming downright iconic.

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Subscriber only, travel | butterflies made of glass and steel shine light into leu gardens.

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Butterflies, hummingbirds, bees, ants, praying mantises and insects of all kinds have taken over Leu Gardens , and they’re bigger than most visitors might expect.

But rather than minuscule critters meandering around, these are large static artworks of glass and steel created by a Tucson-based sculptor. Alex Heveri ‘s Glass in Flight 2 is on display throughout Orlando’s 50-acre botanical oasis with interpretive art that pays homage to nature’s small miracles.

“My message is about the importance of pollinators and insects to the world but in a positive way. Insects are really beautiful, not just butterflies but all insects,” Heveri said. “I don’t like to be cooped up indoors for very long. For me, enhancing the beauty of outdoor spaces and visiting beautiful outdoor spaces is the best way to live life.”

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Visitors can see a blue morpho butterfly outside the welcome center before being greeted at the gardens’ entrance by a monarch archway. Another piece shows a chorinea sylphina butterfly, which has translucent wings and is only found in Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia. One even has wings made of real quartz.

Throughout the outdoor space, guests can explore 28 larger-than-life sculptures of ants, hummingbirds, bees, praying mantises and multiple kinds of butterflies on display through May 5. Each sculpture has an interpretive sign for visitors to learn more about each species of bird, butterfly or insect. Heveri said she was able to collaborate with Leu Gardens staff in choosing the placement of each piece, which can take up to a month to make.

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“I’m blown away by the venue. It looks like Jurassic Park,” she said, noting that the sculptures require maximum sunlight to shine through pieces of dalle de verre glass. “It was a fun experience setting up because everyone who works there is super happy and loves their job, so that made things go really well.”

Heveri took an early interest in art when her mother made homemade playdough for her around age 3. In Catholic school, she remembers falling in love with stained-glass windows. Now, as a full-time criminal defense lawyer, she uses art as a creative outlet and a therapeutic practice.

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“I wanted to make substantial outdoor art. I prefer to work in the 7-10 foot range with very thick steel that has to be moved by a forklift. I am a self-taught sculptor,” Heveri said. “I’m basically a light artist. Even though I’m a glass and steel artist, it’s all about the light.”

“Glass in Flight 2” is on display through May 5 at 1920 N. Forest Ave. in Orlando. The gardens are open 9 a.m.-6 p.m. daily. Admission costs $15 per adult or $10 per child ages 4-17. For more information, call 407-246-2620 or visit leugardens.org .

Find me  @PConnPie on Instagram  or send me an email:  [email protected] .

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Light rail passenger capacity sensor trial

Wi-Fi sensor technology will be trialed on some L2 Randwick and L3 Kingsford Line light rail vehicles on the Sydney light rail network to help identify passenger capacity and implement potential improvements to the network.

The Wi-Fi sensors will be installed on some light rail vehicles to detect passive signals from mobile phones and other devices to analyse passenger numbers and direction of travel. The trial will run for approximately one-year.

Transport for NSW takes the privacy of its passengers very seriously. We protect the privacy of our customers and the security of our data holdings.

Participants can ‘opt out’ of the collection of their Wi-Fi data, and/or switch off the Wi- Fi on their devices when travelling to prevent any collection of data.

The operator trial, known as the Flowly Trial, is in line with the applicable Australian and NSW Privacy legislation and principles.

For more information or to opt out, visit https://slr.flowly.re/

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    It takes approximately 8-minutes for sunlight to reach Earth. The Earth orbits the sun at an average distance of 93-million miles (150-million kilometres). At this distance, there is a noticeable delay in when light emitted by the sun reaches our world. In fact, just by knowing the speed of light and the distance between the sun and Earth, you ...

  15. Sunlight Travel Viet Nam The Official Website Of Sunlight Cruise in

    Tour price: 145 USD / PAX Itinerary: 2 Days 1 Night Departure: Beo Harbour Accommodation: Lan Ha Cruise. A 2-day, 1-night cruise from Beo Harbor to Lan Ha Bay is a fantastic way to explore the stunning landscapes, crystal-clear waters, and pristine beaches of this beautiful bay in northern Vietnam. Here"s a sample itinerary for such a cruise:

  16. 2022 Sun-Lite For Sale

    As we briefly mentioned, Travel Trailers come in a large variety of styles and can be anywhere from 8 to 40 ft. in length. Depending on the specific model, Travel Trailers typically include living spaces, multiple sleeping areas, kitchens, and bathrooms. Smaller Travel Trailers will normally include dinettes, murphy beds, and many dual purpose ...

  17. Sunlight Travel Viet Nam The Official Website Of Sunlight Cruise in

    Tour price: 189 USD / PAX Itinerary: 3 Days 2 Nights Departure: Daily Accommodation: Ninh Binh Bungalow + Halong bay. The 3-day, 2-night tour of Ninh Binh and Halong Bay is an enchanting journey through the natural beauty of Northern Vietnam. This adventure takes you through picturesque landscapes, limestone karsts, and serene waters.

  18. 9 Best Travel Night Light With Light Weight & Small Size 2022

    Recommended as one of the best travel nightlights, this nightlight derives its power from a 1200mAH rechargeable battery. The high-quality lithium battery takes 3-4 hours to recharge. After a full charge, you can use it for 12-15 hours depending on the lighting mode. Check on Amazon . UNIFUN Night Light with 360 Degree Touch Panel - Easy to Use

  19. SUNLIGHT TRAVEL

    SUNLIGHT TRAVEL, San Jose, California. 214 likes · 15 were here. www.sunlighttravel.com

  20. Sunlight Int'l Travel Inc

    Sunlight International Travel Inc. was officially incorporated in 2002, in the city of New York, by a team of experienced veteran travel professionals. We offer customer-tailor-made package tours/travels, flight and hotel bookings, and other travel-related services for traveling to China and other destinations around the world.

  21. Why does time change when traveling close to the speed of light? A

    If you were traveling in a rocket moving at 75% of the speed of light and your friend throws the ball at the same speed, you would not see the ball moving toward you at 150% of the speed of light.

  22. Daylight saving time 2024: Time change details; when to 'spring ahead'

    Even ahead of of the time change, there are already cities in every continental U.S. time zone that are reporting sunset times after 6 p.m. as the Earth and the Northern Hemisphere begins its tilt ...

  23. Total Solar Eclipse 2024: The Moon's Moment in the Sun

    The Sun's diameter is about 400 times larger than the Moon's, and the Sun is almost 400 times farther away from us than the Moon is. ... These isolated areas of intense brightness can resemble a string of glowing beads or a single dramatic burst of light like the gem on a ring. The same phenomena, sometimes called Baily's Beads and the ...

  24. What to expect during April's total solar eclipse

    The chromosphere, or part of the sun's atmosphere, may glow in a thin pink circle around the moon during totality, while the sun's hot outer atmosphere, or corona, will appear as white light.

  25. Sun Lite For Sale

    Browse Sun Lite RVs. View our entire inventory of New or Used Sun Lite RVs. RVTrader.com always has the largest selection of New or Used Sun Lite RVs for sale anywhere. 1 Sun Lite RV in Clarksville, TN.

  26. Amtrak's California Zephyr turns 75 and is still chugging

    As passengers boarded the daily 2 p.m. train at Union Station for San Francisco, they were greeted with cake and balloons marking the anniversary. Fans love the scenic vistas, ample legroom and ...

  27. Bachelorette party destinations for nature lovers

    Sedona, Arizona A scenic view of the mountain formation known as the twin sisters as photographed on February 6,2011 in Sedona, Arizona. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

  28. 18RD Sunlite For Sale

    As we briefly mentioned, Travel Trailers come in a large variety of styles and can be anywhere from 8 to 40 ft. in length. Depending on the specific model, Travel Trailers typically include living spaces, multiple sleeping areas, kitchens, and bathrooms. Smaller Travel Trailers will normally include dinettes, murphy beds, and many dual purpose ...

  29. Leu Gardens: Butterflies made of glass and steel shine light

    Even though I'm a glass and steel artist, it's all about the light." If you go "Glass in Flight 2" is on display through May 5 at 1920 N. Forest Ave. in Orlando.

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    Wi-Fi sensor technology will be trialed on some vehicles on the Sydney light rail network to help identify passenger capacity and potential improvements to the network. ... vehicles to detect passive signals from mobile phones and other devices to analyse passenger numbers and direction of travel. The trial will run for approximately one-year.