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Crumist
Stranger


Registered: 11/02/13
Posts: 781
Last seen: 7 years, 1 month
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Proxima b
#23592182 - 08/30/16 12:59 AM (7 years, 4 months ago) |
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So we found a reasonably earth-like exo-planet orbiting our closest neighbor star, Alpha Centauri c (aka proxima centauri aka Rigil Kent if you're trying to find it in a star chart, how confusing).
It orbits real close to its star with a year 4-20 earth days long, but that is good as proxima centauri is much cooler than sol. It's mass is similar to earth's, 1.1 to 10 times Im remembering off hand. And this is only the first planet found since a big project began looking this January.
Don't forget, proxima centauri is *close*, like 4.20 light years. Without breaking any laws of physics, and extrapolating from tech currently in development, we are potentially very close to being able to cross that distance in a meaningful time frame.
A few short generations from now, proxima b (which will have a way cooler name) might be the target of human astronauts and colonists.
-------------------- 'I am all for resources being allocated to the widowed single mother of 3, lost husband over seas fighting for our country. I am for vets getting mental health access and resources following war. I am not for free money cause a woman can't close her legs or some chump with low testosterone no going to work cause "i'm sad."' -finalexplosion Nice knowin ya'll! https://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number/23904704/vc/1#23904704
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nooneman


Registered: 04/24/09
Posts: 14,568
Loc: Utah
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Re: Proxima b [Re: Crumist]
#23592225 - 08/30/16 01:23 AM (7 years, 4 months ago) |
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4.2 lightyears is only close in space terms. We don't have the technology to travel at even 1% of the speed of light. It would require at least 420 years to reach even if we could travel at 0.01c. The planet is also probably more like venus than earth, and it's possible that it gets bombarded by giant solar flares from its host star on the regular. It's probably also tidally locked which means one side is in permanent light and the other is in permanent darkness, and the only habitable temperatures would run along the border between the light and dark areas.
Nevertheless, it is super exciting, and we are totally going to probe the shit out of that planet one day
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Crumist
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Registered: 11/02/13
Posts: 781
Last seen: 7 years, 1 month
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As I understood it, there are methods of propelling craft using what amounts to fusion warheads that are within current human grasp. Along related lines, plans in motion today to send out probes are assuming we will be able to propel them to .2-.3 of light speed (I'm thinking of Hawking's miniature sailing probes)
EDIT: Also, 420 years is very doable, even at 42,000 years it might be well worth the effort to send probes (or even a generation ship of some sort). Unless there is some kind of work around in physics that permits instantaneously hopping between points in space, I would imagine interstellar travel would involve a lot more waiting around and a lot less accelerating at ludicrous speed
-------------------- 'I am all for resources being allocated to the widowed single mother of 3, lost husband over seas fighting for our country. I am for vets getting mental health access and resources following war. I am not for free money cause a woman can't close her legs or some chump with low testosterone no going to work cause "i'm sad."' -finalexplosion Nice knowin ya'll! https://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number/23904704/vc/1#23904704
Edited by Crumist (08/30/16 07:26 AM)
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nooneman


Registered: 04/24/09
Posts: 14,568
Loc: Utah
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Re: Proxima b [Re: Crumist]
#23593613 - 08/30/16 01:00 PM (7 years, 4 months ago) |
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Nuclear propelled ships are only theoretical. None have ever been actually designed or built, and there are serious technical challenges which mean they probably never will be.
However, it is possible that we'll eventually develop some kind of propulsion capable of reaching speeds like 0.01c whether it's solar sails or em drives or ion drives or something completely different.
And you're right, 420 years is very doable which is exactly why we'll eventually be sending probes there. Sending people is much, much harder though. We will certainly probe the shit out of that planet one day. It's just debatable whether or not we will ever send people given the herculean task of doing so.
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