Starlight problem

The starlight problem is an argument in favor of a universe with a long history - many billions of years - as opposed to the [six thousand year age young earth creationists interpret based on the Genesis narrative and their interpretations of various lines of scientific data. However, the starlight problem is also an argument against the Big Bang Theory which theorizes a universe of billions of years old.

Using parallax calculations, the Milky Way galaxy alone can be directly observed to have a diameter of approximately 80-100,000 light years. Calculations based on the observed brightness of supernovas of known energy output can determine the distance to more distant objects. The most distant object known is a star cluster approximately thirteen billion light-years away from Earth, observed by the Hubble telescope using gravitational lensing.

Several solutions have been proposed by creationists to explain how a young universe may be reconciled with these observations.

Young Earth Creationist Views Regarding Starlight

In regards to the question of how one can see starlight from millions of light years away, young earth creation scientists commonly mention several things. Some of these scientists assert that the Big Bang Theory has a star light-travel time problem and cite the work of Dr. Charles W. Misner.

• Creationist Barry Setterfield has proposed that the speed of light was faster in the past. This idea is widely accepted by creationists.
• The work of young earth creation scientist Dr. John Hartnett proposes an alternative creationist view, by theorizing the Earth was trapped in a time-dilation field caused by extremely strong gravitation during the first few days of creation, from Earth's point of view, while billions of years passed for the rest of the universe. He attributes the field, its removal and the continued balance in our solar system (after the field was removed) to divine intervention. This theory is not widely accepted by creationists.
• The starlight problem applies only to a young universe. Some young-earth creationists interpret Genesis as describing only the creation of the Earth in six days, not the entire universe.