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The nearest star, other than our sun, is 4 light years away. So even if we could travel at the speed of light, which we can't yet, it would take 4 years to get there.
That's the NEAREST star (well, second nearest).
The furthest star, that we can see (sort of... we're aware of, due to fluctuations in light) is 9 BILLION LIGHT YEARS AWAY.
And that's just what is observable with current technology. There's obviously way more than that.
Our brains can't comprehend how big space is... even the observable space, let alone what we can't see.
It's crazy how tiny we are, with all our petty squabbles, football teams, wars, pandemics. If feels weird to say all this has no meaning, it just exists, it just is. But then what meaning does most of space have for us anyway, when it's too far away to interact with? And what meaning do humans have, any more than the last ant you saw, in the whole of space?
All we can truly say is there's something bloody weird going on.
I may have lockdown fever. I may have had some wine.
Well worth 5 minutes of your time. Anything beyond even the solar system our brains cannot truely comprehend. I will not be held responsible for any existential crisis resulting from watching the galaxies fly past at the end
[Post edited 7 May 2020 23:43]
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Space is mental isn't it? on 23:40 - May 7 with 2119 views
Space is mental isn't it? on 22:43 - May 7 by StokieBlue
Exactly.
Or that if you set out for a star at a good high fraction of light speed by the time you come back again you'll actually be younger than your grandchildren.
That'll bend some peoples heads.
SB
[Post edited 7 May 2020 22:45]
Its very hard to get to grips with.
Its a concept I can read up on, and understand for a bit- and then routinely lose again. I know the principles and dont forget them- but actually understanding why it works is slippery.
Of course- there may be all sorts we dont yet comprehend that makes travel possible.
Folks should read Zero Tau by Poul Anderson. Some of the ideas have been superceded now, but the essence of near light speed travel is addressed vey cleverly.
The presence of those seeking the truth is infinitely to be preferred to the presence of those who think they've found it.
(Sir Terry Pratchett)
Space is mental isn't it? on 23:40 - May 7 by sparks
Its very hard to get to grips with.
Its a concept I can read up on, and understand for a bit- and then routinely lose again. I know the principles and dont forget them- but actually understanding why it works is slippery.
Of course- there may be all sorts we dont yet comprehend that makes travel possible.
Folks should read Zero Tau by Poul Anderson. Some of the ideas have been superceded now, but the essence of near light speed travel is addressed vey cleverly.
Space is mental isn't it? on 23:40 - May 7 by sparks
Its very hard to get to grips with.
Its a concept I can read up on, and understand for a bit- and then routinely lose again. I know the principles and dont forget them- but actually understanding why it works is slippery.
Of course- there may be all sorts we dont yet comprehend that makes travel possible.
Folks should read Zero Tau by Poul Anderson. Some of the ideas have been superceded now, but the essence of near light speed travel is addressed vey cleverly.
Indeed, it's one of the most complex concepts humanity has untangled.
I think the point where people tend to struggle is the fact that time is not actually constant like we see in our everyday lives but a function of velocity relative to the observer.
It's fun to think about though and great for speculation and science fiction.
SB
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Space is mental isn't it? on 00:31 - May 8 with 2088 views
Space is mental isn't it? on 23:29 - May 7 by StokieBlue
Trappist is not the closest star to Earth, it's not even the closest star with a confirmed exoplanet (which is also Promixa Centauri).
It is however an outstanding candidate to search for life given the sheer number of planets around it located in the habitable zone.
SB
Stunningly beautiful too.
Pronouns: He/Him/His.
"Imagine being a heterosexual white male in Britain at this moment. How bad is that. Everything you say is racist, everything you say is homophobic. The Woke community have really f****d this country."
I like this pointless fact - When you look at the moon on a clear night, consider that in the distance between here and there, you could fly from the UK to New Zealand and back 15 times.
Space is mental isn't it? on 23:42 - May 7 by brazil1982
So what is it?
Space is dark, it is so endless When you're lost it's so relentless It is so big, it is so small Why does man try to act so tall Is this the reason, deep in our minds?
It does not feel, it does not die Space is neither truth nor lie Into the void we have to travel To find the clue which will unravel Is this the reason, deep in our minds?
The secret lies with our tomorrow In each of us is a hidden sorrow The path goes onward through the night Beyond the realms of ancient light Is this the reason, deep in our minds?
Space is mental isn't it? on 22:45 - May 7 by factual_blue
But how would you decelerate when you arrive? Eh? Eh?
The fuel requirement is a massive consideration too. Engine efficiency would need to be extremely high. I'm wildly speculating but I think anti matter could be a goer.
Bob Lazar seemed to think it was based on a stable isotope of moscovium. I would definitely recommend the Netflix film about him.
Space is mental isn't it? on 21:55 - May 7 by StokieBlue
It's the time that's dilated not the distance but I think that's what you meant anyway.
It's important to emphasise that the time taken is relative to the observer.
For people on the spaceship 1.4 years has passed but for the person watching from Earth 100 years has still passed.
SB
[Post edited 7 May 2020 22:10]
As velocity increases, so does mass. At the speed of light, an object's mass reaches infinity, so it would take an infinite amount of energy to move it, so while we can discuss theoretical travel times, and specul ate about travelling at 99% of the speed of light, the chances of achieving it are actually on a par with Norwich winning something!
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Space is mental isn't it? on 08:48 - May 8 with 2019 views
Space is mental isn't it? on 08:41 - May 8 by TractorWood
The fuel requirement is a massive consideration too. Engine efficiency would need to be extremely high. I'm wildly speculating but I think anti matter could be a goer.
Bob Lazar seemed to think it was based on a stable isotope of moscovium. I would definitely recommend the Netflix film about him.
Or just go for the wormhole.
That Bob Lazar film, whilst mildly entertaining is not really feasible. There is no island of stability in the elemental range around 115 and a decaying element wouldn't produce antimatter in the way he seems to propose (at least not with current understanding). Interestingly computer models have predicted there could be an island of stability in the elements in the next periodic table period.
The most feasible methods of getting up to a fraction of lightspeed with current technology are ground based laser propulsion or something crazy like Project Orion. Have to love the 1960's mentally of making everything better with nuclear bombs but seems it would have actually worked.
Space is mental isn't it? on 23:41 - May 7 by jeera
God made us with limitations mate.
Sorry.
Yeah, but some of us are more limited than others.
It's a bit like airplanes flying. I accept they do, I can see that and am happy to fly. But fiik how a few tonnes of metal with a load of people and baggage on it can fly without flapping its wings.
Space is mental isn't it? on 22:14 - May 7 by TractorWood
Bingo. This guy gets it. Two clocks etc. I quoted that from that website just because I found it a good example.
It does also means a space faring civilization from 300 light years away could have left in 1720 our calendar (ironically before we adopted the Gregorian calendar, which I believe was 1752) but seen 4 years on board a super advanced craft in their time but we've obviously observed 300 years and they might turn up tomorrow.
Amazing.
[Post edited 7 May 2020 22:35]
It will be when a 3 ars*d alien dressed as william Shakespeare lands his Spaceship in Hyde park
Also social distancing applies, so we’d have to tell the aliens to f**k off
Space always astounds me. Its supposed to be infinite. I can never get my head around that. It must stop somewhere mustnt it? There has to be a brick wall of sorts out there somewhere mustnt there. Its mind boggling. Must be lots of other life forms out there.
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Space is mental isn't it? on 12:30 - May 8 with 1975 views
Space is mental isn't it? on 09:45 - May 8 by r2d2
Space always astounds me. Its supposed to be infinite. I can never get my head around that. It must stop somewhere mustnt it? There has to be a brick wall of sorts out there somewhere mustnt there. Its mind boggling. Must be lots of other life forms out there.
Even little space robots.
"They break our legs and tell us to be grateful when they offer us crutches."
Space is mental isn't it? on 09:45 - May 8 by r2d2
Space always astounds me. Its supposed to be infinite. I can never get my head around that. It must stop somewhere mustnt it? There has to be a brick wall of sorts out there somewhere mustnt there. Its mind boggling. Must be lots of other life forms out there.
Not sure about the infinite bit- given that space time is thought to be expanding still. But of course, that creates the difficulty of what it is expanding into (it isnt as far as we know...) so yes- its all a lovely big mystery.
The presence of those seeking the truth is infinitely to be preferred to the presence of those who think they've found it.
(Sir Terry Pratchett)
Space is mental isn't it? on 12:39 - May 8 by sparks
Not sure about the infinite bit- given that space time is thought to be expanding still. But of course, that creates the difficulty of what it is expanding into (it isnt as far as we know...) so yes- its all a lovely big mystery.
There is also the very plausible possibility we live in a single universe out of an infinite multiverse.
If you put many worlds theory in there as well, our universe(as well as all the others) could well be splitting off down different paths billions of times a second. When Schrodinger opened his box with the cat in in it, in one reality the cat was dead, but in another it was alive. Both could well be real. Something Deeply Hidden: Quantum Worlds and the Emergence of Spacetime by Sean Carroll talks about this. I won't pretend I got it all, but it's a fascinating read.
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Space is mental isn't it? on 13:14 - May 8 with 1952 views
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