Starlight problem
The Starlight Problem is an argument in favour of a universe with a long history - many billions of years - as opposed to the six thousand year age many creationists interpert based on the Genesis narative.
Given that the speed of light cannot possibly be exceeded - a conclusion of general relativity, and to which no exceptions have yet been found - the most distant visible objects cannot be further away than the distance light could travel since the universe was created. Thus, the distance to the furthest visible object can be used to establish a lower limit on the age of the universe.
Using parallax calculations, the milky way galaxy alone can be directly observed to have a diameter of approximately 80-100,000 light years. Calculations based on the observed brightness of supernovas of known energy output can determine the distance to more distant objects. The most distant object known is a star cluster approximately thirteen billion light-years distant, observed by the Hubble telescope using gravitational lensing[1].
Several solutions have been proposed by creationists to explain how a young universe may be reconciled with these observations. Some of these may be viewed on Debate:If the universe is young and it takes light millions of years to reach us from far off stars, how can we see them?
Young Earth Creationist View Regarding Starlight
In regards to the question of how one can see starlight from millions of light years away, young earth creationists scientists commonly mention several things. Some of these scientists assert that the Big Bang Theory has a star light-travel time problem and cite the work of Dr. Charles W. Misner.[2]
- Creationist Barry Setterfield has proposed that the speed of light was faster in the past. [3] This idea is widely accepted by creationists. However, this theory would also predict a very strong blue-shift on distant objects, and this is not observed.
- The work of young earth creationist scientist Dr. John Hartnett proposes an alternative, creationist view, by theorizing the Earth was trapped in a time-dilation field caused by extremely strong gravitation during the first few days of creation, from Earth's point of view, while billions of years passed for the rest of the universe. He attributes the field, its removal and the continued balance in our solar system (after the field was removed) to divine intervention. [4] This theory is not widely accepted by creationists.
- The starlight problem applies only to a young universe. Some young-earth creationists interpret Genesis as describing only the creation of the Earth in six days, not the entire universe.