[BillT]

The largest angle available to look down range is the diameter of the earth approximately 1 light second or 186,000,000 miles. How many light years away are these suns makes this angle incredibly small. I am not sure that I believe that our best equipment is capable of this kind of accuracy.

[muffaletaman]

Not to be a picker of nits...

One light second is 186 thousand miles, not 186 million miles.

Light could go AROUND the earth about 7-1/2 times in one second. The circumference of the earth is about 24,900 miles... 186,000 / 24,900 = 7.47

Light could “CROSS” the Earth (diameter at the equator about 7,925 miles) 186,000 / 7925 = 23.47 about 23-1/2 times in one second... or in other words it would take 0.043 second to cross the Earth’s diameter at light speed.

I don’t know about “looking down range” comment but my bet is you mean the angle the earth would subtend (appear to be) at stellar distances is VERY VERY small!

But future telescopes that are planned WILL be able to make observations at these distances.

This is ALL so very interesting!!!

Makes me wish I stayed in physics and astronomy, instead of taking up piano playing in the French Quarter... ;-)