Similarly, time is also relative. We think of "now" having meaning, but
it's really just an illusion. All human beings are relatively close to
one another and moving at about the same speed. So we can cheat and
define a common "now."

still, i ask, if light travels X number of years from Andromeda to reach us,
and if Andromeda ripped itself apart X-1 years ago in our time, then next year
we would be in for a very unplesant surtprise.

is there no way to detect such events other than waiting upon the speed of
light?

jc