Re:Wolf 1069B: Earth-mass planet in the habitable zone of a ...
by nkrisc on Sunday January 08, 2023 @11:23PM
(#34306727)
Pretty good explanation of the technique and challenges involved: https://youtu.be/4d0EGIt1SPc
One figure that stands out, the probe would need to be about 550 AU from the sun.
Voyager 1 is about 150 AU away from the sun right now, for comparison.
Re:Wolf 1069B: Earth-mass planet in the habitable zone of a ...
by HyperSane on Sunday January 08, 2023 @11:45PM
(#34306844)
The Solar Gravitational Lens is very neat but with current propulsion technology it would take a very long time to get the satellites into position.
Re:Wolf 1069B: Earth-mass planet in the habitable zone of a ...
by skykooler on Monday January 09, 2023 @12:51AM
(#34307250)
Then we'd better start as early as possible.
Re:Wolf 1069B: Earth-mass planet in the habitable zone of a ...
by govg on Monday January 09, 2023 @02:16AM
(#34307697)
There's a funny paradox-like situation that arises in space flight where because of the distances involved/ time taken, it might be better to wait some time for a faster method of flight to develop. Of course, it is up for debate whether there are many more ways of propulsion that are yet to be invented.
Re:Wolf 1069B: Earth-mass planet in the habitable zone of a ...
by 867-5309 on Monday January 09, 2023 @06:42AM
(#34309265)
incessant obsolescence
Re:Wolf 1069B: Earth-mass planet in the habitable zone of a ...
by bulatb on Monday January 09, 2023 @07:37AM
(#34309646)
For anyone interested, this is called the wait calculation.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstellar_travel#Wait_calcu...
Something else I read about, that doesn't sound like it involves far out voodoo tech to me, that I wish I'd live long enough to see, is putting a probe out far enough and in the right position, to use the Sun's gravity as a telescope lens.
...and (maybe) actually get pictures of extrasolar planets.
I don't know if those pictures would be like Hubble's view of Pluto, or in principle could be much better.
If I could have one wish for something extraterrestrial, that is more achievable, it would be close up pictures of Haumea. Eris and others too, but Haumea most of all.
I care nothing at all for Mars colonies, but the most exciting thing about Starship for me is the hope that maybe combining it with in-orbit refueling could enable quicker travel to the outer solar system and loitering/orbiting instead of flying by at top speed.