# Traveling near the speed of light

If I travel near the speed of light, form a stationary observer perspectives, I will take 1 year plus to travel 1 light year, but in my perspective, would I take less than 1 year to travel to that distance as my time slows down respect to stationary observer's time?

• Yes. That is the concept of time dilation. – Jim May 14 '15 at 19:11
• Yes. Please don't ask Yes/No questions, "yes" and "no" are too short to even submit as answers. – ACuriousMind May 14 '15 at 19:12
• From your perspective the universe would flatten so that distances would appear less. You wouldn't think you're going faster than the speed of light but you'd see an object 4 light years away appear 3 light years away - for example. – userLTK May 14 '15 at 20:49
• @Downvoter(s) Why downvote this valid question? – Jack Giffin May 5 '17 at 1:30

You, traveling so fast, "see" a much shorter distance (this is the concept of length contraction) $L' = L_0/\gamma$ where $\gamma = \frac{1}{\sqrt{1-v^2/c^2}}$ Your "on board" clock is also ticking more slowly: $T' = T_0 \gamma$. So while you think you took less than a year to get there, the speed with which you think you are approaching point B is the same speed that the observer (stationary at B) sees you approaching at. You too don't think you exceeded the speed of light.