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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.
And, because they are so far away what we actually see of them is from that long ago. They are (in the vast majority of cases) completely different now.
There is a scale of the Universe animation that just blows my mind (even before you realise it was put together by 14-year-olds) here: http://htwins.net/scale/
EDIT: and when you get down to the tiny scale and realise just how many particles make up even the tiniest amount of "stuff" too.
Proxima Centauri is 4.3 LY away I believe from the top of my head. Within 40 LY there are a good number of stars.
There is actually a feasible way of sending a microprobe there in 20 years but all it would do was send back a video or picture as it went sailing past.
Space is mental isn't it? on 21:13 - May 7 by Nthsuffolkblue
And, because they are so far away what we actually see of them is from that long ago. They are (in the vast majority of cases) completely different now.
There is a scale of the Universe animation that just blows my mind (even before you realise it was put together by 14-year-olds) here: http://htwins.net/scale/
EDIT: and when you get down to the tiny scale and realise just how many particles make up even the tiniest amount of "stuff" too.
[Post edited 7 May 2020 21:14]
so if anyone is there and looking at earth , would they see us just getting over the hangover of winning at wembly or would they see us winning the top league in 61.
forensic experts say footers and spruces fingerprints were not found at the scene after the weekends rows
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Space is mental isn't it? on 21:48 - May 7 with 2202 views
'For example, let’s say we set off for a star 100 light years from Earth and our speed is 99% of the speed of light. Common sense tells us that we will reach the star in just over 100 years, but this doesn’t take dilation into account. Instead, because the distance has been dilated we will reach the star in only 14.1 years. As we go ever faster the dilation becomes ever more dramatic, so that at 99.9% of the speed of light we would reach it in just 4.5 years and at 99.99% around 1.4 years'.
'For example, let’s say we set off for a star 100 light years from Earth and our speed is 99% of the speed of light. Common sense tells us that we will reach the star in just over 100 years, but this doesn’t take dilation into account. Instead, because the distance has been dilated we will reach the star in only 14.1 years. As we go ever faster the dilation becomes ever more dramatic, so that at 99.9% of the speed of light we would reach it in just 4.5 years and at 99.99% around 1.4 years'.
🤯
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]
Avatar - IC410 - Tadpoles Nebula
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Space is mental isn't it? on 21:59 - May 7 with 2161 views
'For example, let’s say we set off for a star 100 light years from Earth and our speed is 99% of the speed of light. Common sense tells us that we will reach the star in just over 100 years, but this doesn’t take dilation into account. Instead, because the distance has been dilated we will reach the star in only 14.1 years. As we go ever faster the dilation becomes ever more dramatic, so that at 99.9% of the speed of light we would reach it in just 4.5 years and at 99.99% around 1.4 years'.
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]
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.
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]
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]
Avatar - IC410 - Tadpoles Nebula
2
Space is mental isn't it? on 22:44 - May 7 with 2058 views
Space is mental isn't it? on 21:10 - May 7 by Durovigutum
/-Pedant mode on 4 light years. -pedant mode off
If you shrank the Sun to the size of an Orange and put it in Ipswich town centre, the nearest star to us would be just south of Rome.
[I have a question]In that scenario, would Ipswich town centre melt, and also would you singe your fingers when putting the sun into Ipswich town centre? [/I have a question]
'For example, let’s say we set off for a star 100 light years from Earth and our speed is 99% of the speed of light. Common sense tells us that we will reach the star in just over 100 years, but this doesn’t take dilation into account. Instead, because the distance has been dilated we will reach the star in only 14.1 years. As we go ever faster the dilation becomes ever more dramatic, so that at 99.9% of the speed of light we would reach it in just 4.5 years and at 99.99% around 1.4 years'.
🤯
But how would you decelerate when you arrive? Eh? Eh?
Space is mental isn't it? on 21:47 - May 7 by jaykay
so if anyone is there and looking at earth , would they see us just getting over the hangover of winning at wembly or would they see us winning the top league in 61.
I think I read somewhere not long ago that if extraterrestrials were picking up radio signals from earth, they'd currently be picking up some of the earliest powerful signals.
Most of those, apparently, would be broadcasts from National Socialist Germany.
First few chapters of Bill Bryson's Short History blew my mind in a similar way. There was a really good Youtube video about heading away from Earth at the speed of light I used to watch years ago (but can't find anymore)
You realise George Harrison was right when he said "And to see you're really only very small And life flows on within you and without you"
I may have lockdown fever. I may have had some Camberwell Carrots.
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