Thanks for the snapshots Hubble

Trample the Elderly · 05-12-2009, 11:34 PM

I'll treasure the pictures but I'd rather have the astronauts home same.

RobH4413 · 05-12-2009, 11:52 PM

If your driving 60mph towards a car that's traveling 60mph, it is like your traveling 120 mph towards the car. With the speed of light, this is not true.

Speed of light is 299,792,458 mps, so if your traveling 60mps towards the speed of light.... the light is still coming at you at a constant 299,792,458 mps.

Nutso.

GMScud · 05-12-2009, 11:58 PM

The speed of light is 186,282 miles per SECOND. That means in one second you could travel the circumference of the planet earth (24,901 miles) 7.5 times. In one second. That's crazy.

GhettoDogAllStars · 05-13-2009, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GMScud

The speed of light is 186,282 miles per SECOND. That means in one second you could travel the circumference of the planet earth (24,901 miles) 7.5 times. In one second. That's crazy.

Yeah, and there'd be time dilation, as steveo alluded to. I'm not sure of the math, but imagine orbiting Earth at the speed of light for a few weeks. Years would have passed on Earth, but for you it has only been a few weeks.

This is basically what makes long-distance space travel impractical. If we were able to travel the speed of light, it'd still take a lifetime to reach the nearest galaxy. All the while, time would be passing much quicker on Earth. So, if it takes 75 years at the speed of light to reach Andromeda, thousands of years could be passing on Earth during your voyage. Hell, the human race could become extinct before you even reached your destination. Warp drive is the only way!

SmootSmack · 05-13-2009, 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GhettoDogAllStars

Yeah, and there'd be time dilation, as steveo alluded to. I'm not sure of the math, but imagine orbiting Earth at the speed of light for a few weeks. Years would have passed on Earth, but for you it has only been a few weeks.

This is basically what makes long-distance space travel impractical. If we were able to travel the speed of light, it'd still take a lifetime to reach the nearest galaxy. All the while, time would be passing much quicker on Earth. So, if it takes 75 years at the speed of light to reach Andromeda, thousands of years could be passing on Earth during your voyage. Hell, the human race could become extinct before you even reached your destination. Warp drive is the only way!

It's what also makes it highly unlikely that if there were life outside of earth (civilized life) that we could ever communicate with them. Because they're either way way way ahead of us, or us of them.

05-12-2009, 11:34 PM	#1
Trample the Elderly Playmaker Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Three Chopt Virginia Age: 48 Posts: 2,906	Re: Thanks for the snapshots Hubble I'll treasure the pictures but I'd rather have the astronauts home same.

05-12-2009, 11:52 PM	#2
RobH4413 Wildcard Bitches Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Bethesda, MD Age: 41 Posts: 2,638	Re: Thanks for the snapshots Hubble If your driving 60mph towards a car that's traveling 60mph, it is like your traveling 120 mph towards the car. With the speed of light, this is not true. Speed of light is 299,792,458 mps, so if your traveling 60mps towards the speed of light.... the light is still coming at you at a constant 299,792,458 mps. Nutso. __________________ This is what happens when you find a stranger in the Alps!

05-12-2009, 11:58 PM	#3
GMScud Swearinger Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Washington, DC Posts: 12,626	Re: Thanks for the snapshots Hubble The speed of light is 186,282 miles per SECOND. That means in one second you could travel the circumference of the planet earth (24,901 miles) 7.5 times. In one second. That's crazy. __________________ Tardy

Thanks for the snapshots Hubble

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