Daft Posted October 21, 2010 Posted October 21, 2010 Astronomers Chart Distance to Farthest-Away Galaxy Known Astronomers have spotted what may be the most distant object ever seen -- a galaxy as it appeared 13 billion years ago. What makes this view exceedingly rare is the fact that until the universe had aged about 600 million years, everything was dark. Until the first suns ignited, "there was no light," said Paul Czysz of St. Louis University. This newly discovered galaxy, "is about the first object that you can see, period." This is my favourite bit; Now that mankind has seen a galaxy as it existed 13.1 billion years ago, it's only natural to wonder what has happened to it since. "Since the light that came from there left 13.1 billion years ago, it probably doesn't exist today," Czysz asserted. "If you look at a galaxy 20 million light years away, for example, you have to remember that that object actually existed as you see it 20 million years ago," he noted. "You don't know what it is today." http://www.technewsworld.com/story/Astronomers-Chart-Distance-to-Farthest-Away-Galaxy-Known-71082.html Space is awesome.
The Peeps Posted October 21, 2010 Posted October 21, 2010 Space is awesome. Quoted for truth It's weird to think that 20 million years from now, a far off planet might see ours as we are now.
The Lillster Posted October 21, 2010 Posted October 21, 2010 Do you think we will ever have interstellar travel? How will this work?
Platty Posted October 21, 2010 Posted October 21, 2010 Do you think we will ever have interstellar travel? How will this work? With Hyperdrives duh... In all seriousness, Space is immense. it messes with my head so much and reading things like this I adore. I love it that we are all actually so insignificant in regards to the wider universe. This should be the key to peace and open everyones eyes that religion is all bollocks (my own view) so lets all hold hands and get on.
Fierce_LiNk Posted October 21, 2010 Posted October 21, 2010 This sort of stuff blows my mind and my testicles, in that order. Or perhaps the other way around. Either way, both are blown to smithereens. I really do wonder if it does exist today. The possibilities.
MoogleViper Posted October 21, 2010 Posted October 21, 2010 I love it that we are all actually so insignificant in regards to the wider universe. This should be the key to peace and open everyones eyes that religion is all bollocks (my own view) so lets all hold hands and get on. Surely if anything it re-inforces it? (Well not religion per se but some higher power/god)
Platty Posted October 21, 2010 Posted October 21, 2010 I really do wonder if it does exist today. The possibilities. Exactly, it's mental.
Jimbob Posted October 21, 2010 Posted October 21, 2010 Depending on how long a life-span of a galaxy, it could still be alive and functional today. Who knows, because if we left today on a shuttle bound for it, i reckon it won't be around by the time we get there. Another 20 or so billion years, perhaps the only thing they can see from there would be the Milky Way as it was before they left.
MoogleViper Posted October 21, 2010 Posted October 21, 2010 Depending on how long a life-span of a galaxy, it could still be alive and functional today. Who knows, because if we left today on a shuttle bound for it, i reckon it won't be around by the time we get there. Another 20 or so billion years, perhaps the only thing they can see from there would be the Milky Way as it was before they left. That makes no sense. For starters it's 13.1 light billion years away. So to get there in 20 billion years or so we'd have to have a shuttle that can travel over half the speed of light. And even if that were possible then when they got there they wouldn't see the milky way before it left. They would see it 7 billion years after they left.
ReZourceman Posted October 22, 2010 Posted October 22, 2010 God thats fucking awesome. I explained this to Claire and here response was; Okay Love it.
Diageo Posted October 22, 2010 Posted October 22, 2010 Surely if anything it re-inforces it? (Well not religion per se but some higher power/god) How does it?
Dog-amoto Posted October 22, 2010 Posted October 22, 2010 Do you think we will ever have interstellar travel? How will this work? Never. It isn't just the technical challenges, it's for financial reasons as well. no government would ever be able to justify the costs. Intergalactic travel is even more unlikely
Dan_Dare Posted October 22, 2010 Posted October 22, 2010 You could justify the costs quite easily, providing the tech existed. Imagine the industrial expansion that would be made possible by entire planets of abundant resources. It'd be absolutely astonishing.
Grazza Posted October 22, 2010 Posted October 22, 2010 This sort of stuff blows my mind and my testicles, in that order. Or perhaps the other way around. Either way, both are blown to smithereens. I'd love to see your idea of a porno mag: Saturn, Jupiter and a nice centrefold of Uranus! Never. It isn't just the technical challenges, it's for financial reasons as well. no government would ever be able to justify the costs. Not necessarily. Our notion of "cost" is based on the idea we have to pay someone to do something. It's not beyond the realms of possibility that Earth may one day be under the rule of one, central government, who could motivate the population to build spacecraft. Even the idea of "wages" may become obsolete. Also, whilst I find the idea of using conventional fuel ridiculous, it would not be an issue if an alternative energy source such as Perpetual Motion or Anti-Matter Propulsion was invented. Add in human lifespans of 1000 years or more, with biological enhancements such as protection from radiation and poisons, and I think space travel is within the realms of possibility. We could even become biologically immortal, susceptible only to freak accidents. I recommend Michio Kaku's blog (and the "Big Think" site that hosts it) to all those interested in space and technology: http://bigthink.com/blogs/dr-kakus-universe
The Lillster Posted October 22, 2010 Posted October 22, 2010 OK lets pretend the human race built a spaceship that could travel at incredible speeds, what would happen when we stop, surely we'd be crushed from G-force? Basically from what I've read and people have told me, it's not neccesary the technology that will be the problem but the laws of physics. - On a side note, I watched a video on youtube about some professor saying Light Sabres could be possible, the only problem is powering it. You'd need a probable nuclear reactor. The Light sabre beam would be made out of plasma (the same stuff the Sun is made of), if your wondering how the beam is contained, as controlling a beam of light would be impossible.
heroicjanitor Posted October 22, 2010 Posted October 22, 2010 OK lets pretend the human race built a spaceship that could travel at incredible speeds, what would happen when we stop, surely we'd be crushed from G-force? You wouldn't have to stop dead, you could slow down gradually.
Dog-amoto Posted October 29, 2010 Posted October 29, 2010 (edited) Not necessarily. Our notion of "cost" is based on the idea we have to pay someone to do something. It's not beyond the realms of possibility that Earth may one day be under the rule of one, central government, who could motivate the population to build spacecraft. Even the idea of "wages" may become obsolete. Someone's been watching Star Trek: First Contact! You wouldn't have to stop dead, you could slow down gradually. Doing this will increase a journey time by another 100 years or so. Depending on how far away the star was and method of travel etc. I'd like to think that one day humanity will travel to the stars, but it's highly unlikely it will ever happen. I seriously doubt that we would spend the huge resources needed to send probes to stars where planets "may" be habitable. I dread to think what this planet will be like in another 100 years. I doubt space exploration will be high on the priority list. Edited October 29, 2010 by Dog-amoto
Guy Posted October 29, 2010 Posted October 29, 2010 Space is equally awesome and terrifying. It boggles my mind to just think about the enormity of it and what else might be out there. It also sucks we won't know MUCH more about space in my lifetime. Bastard mortality.
Grazza Posted October 29, 2010 Posted October 29, 2010 Someone's been watching Star Trek: First Contact! For all my weird ideas, I hardly watch sci-fi, only if it's superb in its own right (Alien, Back to the Future). I actually find it hard to watch the "ideas" sci-fi like The X-Files, because I know it's not real (not seen any Star Trek either). I'd like to think that one day humanity will travel to the stars, but it's highly unlikely it will ever happen. I seriously doubt that we would spend the huge resources needed to send probes to stars where planets "may" be habitable. I dread to think what this planet will be like in another 100 years. I doubt space exploration will be high on the priority list. The sad thing is, if we don't, we're done for. Humanity will eventually need to colonise inhabitable planets in other solar systems. It may well be that all the Earth-like planets have life on them and there's no room for us. I've depressed myself now!
heroicjanitor Posted October 29, 2010 Posted October 29, 2010 Doing this will increase a journey time by another 100 years or so. Depending on how far away the star was and method of travel etc. I'm not so sure of that... If I could be arsed I'd do the maths
Dannyboy-the-Dane Posted November 1, 2010 Posted November 1, 2010 I seriously doubt that we would spend the huge resources needed to send probes to stars where planets "may" be habitable. I dread to think what this planet will be like in another 100 years. I doubt space exploration will be high on the priority list. Yet America spent God knows what sending people to the moon just to be able to say: "We did it first!" That's always bothered me. It's like the greatest expression of "I have a bigger penis than you" in the history of mankind (if you discount wars).
Emasher Posted November 1, 2010 Posted November 1, 2010 Yet America spent God knows what sending people to the moon just to be able to say: "We did it first!" That's always bothered me. It's like the greatest expression of "I have a bigger penis than you" in the history of mankind (if you discount wars). The Apollo program was a lot more than just a "We did it first" thing. The entire world gained a huge amount of technology because of it, even more if you look at the entire space race. Modern computers being the primary example. There was also the issue of the weaponization of space. The Americans had to match the soviets in terms of space related technology, one way of doing that was setting a firm goal, which in this case, was putting a man on the moon. And before it, Eisenhower's goal of a surveillance satellite. Interestingly enough, the increases in the american debt back during the space race weren't really even that significant compared to what they are today. In 2003, the increase in their national debt was greater than all the debt they acquired before 1974. Side note: Interestingly, even though the soviets beat America in just having a man made satellite orbit the earth, the Americans did have the first surveillance satellite, and even before sputnik, for about a year they were ready to launch their own satellite, however, they were waiting until after the soviets launched their own to let the soviets decided on weather you could put a satellite over another country without permission.
Dannyboy-the-Dane Posted November 1, 2010 Posted November 1, 2010 The Apollo program was a lot more than just a "We did it first" thing. The entire world gained a huge amount of technology because of it, even more if you look at the entire space race. Modern computers being the primary example. There was also the issue of the weaponization of space. The Americans had to match the soviets in terms of space related technology, one way of doing that was setting a firm goal, which in this case, was putting a man on the moon. And before it, Eisenhower's goal of a surveillance satellite. Interestingly enough, the increases in the american debt back during the space race weren't really even that significant compared to what they are today. In 2003, the increase in their national debt was greater than all the debt they acquired before 1974. Side note: Interestingly, even though the soviets beat America in just having a man made satellite orbit the earth, the Americans did have the first surveillance satellite, and even before sputnik, for about a year they were ready to launch their own satellite, however, they were waiting until after the soviets launched their own to let the soviets decided on weather you could put a satellite over another country without permission. I see. It'll probably always seem a bit like a peeing contest to me, though. But it's good to know it had humanitarian goals and benefits.
Dog-amoto Posted November 1, 2010 Posted November 1, 2010 I doubt that we'll ever see a man on Mars either. Even though Obama has promised it'll happen before 2040
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