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Alpha Centauri


Flak

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There is life there?

 

Time ago, on a publication, apeared that 4 years (or 8?) after the explosion of Krakatoa with was the most powerfull of the modern times, an strange explosion apeared on Siberia (or Russia forest). So the author talked about that maybe "someone" at Alpha Centauri solar system got this manifestation tought that was a message and reply it.

 

Well the above is not a must, but the point here is that with the current technology we can travel there?, even if we sent a sonde at 1/4 lightspeed we had to wait 4 years minim (depending on technology and after wait 16 years) to get reports about?

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That krakatoa/siberia bit was one of the stupidest things I've ever read.

 

We wont be going to Alpha centauria for a few centuries at least I should think. 1/4 lightspeed is an insanely high number, and remember you have to accelerate to that speed first, most of the journey would not be at that speed.

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was that the explosion in Siberia that's supposed to have changed the tilt of the Earth by a measurable degree as well? Or have I got the completely wrong end of the stick? As for travelling to Alpha Centauri, the discovery of a worm hole would facilitate such travel wouldn't it?

 

The Wolverine :D

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Actually I meant neutrino, I wasn't aware that it had been detected. So how does one go about detecting a massless, chargeless particle then?

 

Anyhow it was meant more to be an example of a postulation yet to be proven, take otherwise the existence of strings if that suits you better. My point was the existence of a lot of cosmological entities are pure postulation in theirr very nature to start off with.

 

The Wolverine :D

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When Tycho said that using a wormhole to get to Alpha Centauri was pure science fiction, I suspect he was referring to the 'massive overkill' aspect.

 

If you want to know about neutrino detectors, simply follow the link I posted. They are interesting devices.

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So how does one go about detecting a massless' date=' chargeless particle then?

[/quote']

 

They use Cherenkov radiation mainly. In a medium such as water, light is slowed down to speeds <c, so it is possible for very low mass particles to travel faster then light (though not faster than c). When they do, they give of Cherenkov radiation, which is directly analogous to the sonic boom of a jet airplane (only with light rather then sound).

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  • 3 weeks later...
']That krakatoa/siberia bit was one of the stupidest things I've ever read.

 

We wont be going to Alpha centauria for a few centuries at least I should think. 1/4 lightspeed is an insanely high number' date=' and remember you have to accelerate to that speed first, most of the journey would not be at that speed.[/quote']

Discovery magazine had an article about space travel. They said a hydrogen

"maser" engine could accelerate to ½ the speed of light in 7 years.

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How long does it take to slow down and stop? One must have a very accurate knowledge of the precise distance one has to travel.

That's a good question, the article said it would take 14 years to get to Alpha Centauri.......I don't know if that included slowing down and stopping.

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