how long does it take sunlight to reach earth

Sunlight takes an average of about 8 minutes and 20 seconds to travel from the Sun to the Earth. This time varies slightly because Earth's orbit is elliptical, so the distance to the Sun ranges from about 147 million to 152 million kilometers, resulting in a travel time between roughly 8 minutes 10 seconds to 8 minutes 27 seconds. The speed of light, approximately 300,000 kilometers per second, determines this travel time across space. Additionally, it's worth noting that the photons of sunlight seen on Earth are actually created deep inside the Sun's core and take thousands to tens of thousands of years to reach the Sun's surface before they start their approximately 8-minute journey to Earth. Thus, while sunlight appears instantaneous once it reaches Earth, the photons themselves are very ancient by the time they arrive here.