<p>Imagine you're on a planet in a distant part of the milky way, 2000 years from now. You don't know where you are or how much time has passed. You have access to modern astronomical data and technology and the knowledge to use it. Could you figure out where you are and how much time has passed?</p>
<p>I've put some thought into this and come up with a few possibilities and challenges:</p>
<ul>
<li>The Andromeda Galaxy might be the biggest hint that you're still in the milky way. But after 2000 years of galactic motion, at a different angle, would it still be recognizable? Could you tell the amount of time that's passed by measuring how much closer it is?</li>
<li>Would there be easy ways to tell that you're in the milky way that a lay person wouldn't think of? Are there features of the galactic center that would make it recognizable or other &quot;galactic landmarks&quot;? Or something that would be identifiable using spectroscopy?</li>
<li>I think one of the biggest hurdles would be the fact that stellar bodies would all look different from a different angle, and everything has also moved over time.</li>
</ul>
<p>Thanks!</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-11-30T06:10:39.990Z
Closely related, but without the 2000 year time shift: https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/q/19893/16685 One issue not mentioned there is that a significant percentage of the Milky Way isn't visible from Earth because other stuff is in the way, especially stars & dust in the galactic plane. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zone_of_Avoidance
PM 2Ring
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-11-30T06:30:11.423Z
2000 years is negligvle in comparison to the age of the Galaxy, You'll still be able to use the relative positions of local group galaxies to locate yourself,  so I think the suggested dupe does ask the same question.
James K
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-11-30T06:32:54.290Z
The 2000 years is irrelevant, so is a duplicate.
ProfRob
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-11-30T06:35:59.340Z
Also https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/questions/44645/consider-you-are-stranded-in-deep-space-and-an-alien-agreed-to-drop-you-back-ho
ProfRob
<milky-way><spectroscopy><positional-astronomy><celestial-mechanics><galactic-dynamics>
You find yourself on a random planet in the milky way 2000 years in the future. Can you figure out where/when you are?
KidAtticus
# You find yourself on a random planet in the milky way 2000 years in the future. Can you figure out where/when you are?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2022-11-30)

Imagine you're on a planet in a distant part of the milky way, 2000 years from now. You don't know where you are or how much time has passed. You have access to modern astronomical data and technology and the knowledge to use it. Could you figure out where you are and how much time has passed?

I've put some thought into this and come up with a few possibilities and challenges:

* The Andromeda Galaxy might be the biggest hint that you're still in the milky way. But after 2000 years of galactic motion, at a different angle, would it still be recognizable? Could you tell the amount of time that's passed by measuring how much closer it is?
* Would there be easy ways to tell that you're in the milky way that a lay person wouldn't think of? Are there features of the galactic center that would make it recognizable or other "galactic landmarks"? Or something that would be identifiable using spectroscopy?
* I think one of the biggest hurdles would be the fact that stellar bodies would all look different from a different angle, and everything has also moved over time.

Thanks!

**Tags:** milky-way, spectroscopy, positional-astronomy, celestial-mechanics, galactic-dynamics

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Closely related, but without the 2000 year time shift: https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/q/19893/16685 One issue not mentioned there is that a significant percentage of the Milky Way isn't visible from Earth because other stuff is in the way, especially stars & dust in the galactic plane. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zone_of_Avoidance  
> **username_2**: 2000 years is negligvle in comparison to the age of the Galaxy, You'll still be able to use the relative positions of local group galaxies to locate yourself,  so I think the suggested dupe does ask the same question.  
> **username_3**: The 2000 years is irrelevant, so is a duplicate.  
> **username_3**: Also https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/questions/44645/consider-you-are-stranded-in-deep-space-and-an-alien-agreed-to-drop-you-back-ho  

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