I received two responses to my original question from David Dockstader
and Lowell Herr, but I believe they missed my point in asking the question.
We are in a particular place in space relative to where the big bang took
place (or where early stars were first formed). Light from an early star
traveled that distance at the speed of light (of course) during the
lifetime of that star, say 5 billion years just as an example. Now, 5
billion years later, the Earth and solar system are formed. and 5 billion
years after that, intelligent life appears. (this is a *very* rough
chronology)
Now, my question is, how can that life form ever hope to capture any of the
light from that early star. If it is able to, then that must mean that the
materials from which earth is formed, which also originated with the big
bang (although were parts of other stars and planets before coming together
as our solar system) must have traveled faster than light in order to have
arrived HERE before the light that we now observe from that early star
which is only just arriving now!
This seems to be like the thought experiment where one leaves the earth
and travels faster than light in order to look back at the earth and see
its history unfolding.
What am I and my students missing here?? Thanks for your collective help.