The speed of light in a vacuum is a universal constant exactly equal to 299,792,458 meters per second (about 186,282 miles per second or approximately 1.07 billion kilometers per hour). This speed is considered the maximum speed at which all energy, matter, and information in the universe can travel. To visualize, light can circle the Earth about 7.5 times in one second. This speed is a cornerstone of physics and is used for measuring astronomical distances, such as the speed of light enabling us to say that light from the Sun takes about 8 minutes to reach Earth. No object with mass can travel faster than this speed, and the speed of light remains constant regardless of the source's motion or the observer's frame of reference. Thus, light travels incredibly fast—more precisely, at 299,792,458 meters per second, which sets the cosmic speed limit.
