Seven-Planet System Detected • Hacker News Board

Re: Seven-Planet System Detected

#11

Post by evoloution » Tue, Oct 29, 2013, 7:04 PM UTC

deletes wrote: post #8

devx wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, unreachable without FTL travel.

It would take about 15.6 years [0] to reach the star on a ship capable of a constant 1G acceleration. Here is the explanation and equations: http://math.ucr.edu/home/baez/physics/Relativity/SR/rocket.h... [0]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6637131

Does this take the needed deceleration in account? If we are to land there anyway :P

Re: Seven-Planet System Detected

#12

Post by deletes » Tue, Oct 29, 2013, 7:06 PM UTC

evoloution wrote: post #11

deletes wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It would take about 15.6 years [0] to reach the star on a ship capable of a constant 1G acceleration. Here is the explanation and equations: http://math.ucr.edu/home/baez/physics/Relativity/SR/rocket.h... [0]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6637131

Does this take the needed deceleration in account? If we are to land there anyway :P

Yes, but the real problem is fuel( even with antimatter ). And radiation.

Re: Seven-Planet System Detected

#13

Post by PhasmaFelis » Tue, Oct 29, 2013, 7:08 PM UTC

nezumi wrote: post #3

Hang on, I thought 'Solar system' means the system orbiting the star 'Sol' i.e. our sun? Isn't the general term 'planetary system'?

It's bizarrely worded, yes. I think what they're trying to say is it's a planetary system very similar to the Solar system. Announcing it as a new "planetary system" would sound much less dramatic, since we've cataloged more than 700 of those.

Re: Seven-Planet System Detected

#14

Post by PhasmaFelis » Tue, Oct 29, 2013, 7:10 PM UTC

ck2 wrote: post #4

the entire system lies within one Earth orbit Perhaps little chance of life as we know it.

Not necessarily, if the star is smaller and cooler than ours.

Re: Seven-Planet System Detected

#15

Post by gnaritas » Tue, Oct 29, 2013, 7:10 PM UTC

deletes wrote: post #8

devx wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, unreachable without FTL travel.

It would take about 15.6 years [0] to reach the star on a ship capable of a constant 1G acceleration. Here is the explanation and equations: http://math.ucr.edu/home/baez/physics/Relativity/SR/rocket.h... [0]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6637131

15.6 years for the passenger, thousands of years from our perspective.

Re: Seven-Planet System Detected

#16

Post by johndoze » Tue, Oct 29, 2013, 7:18 PM UTC

ck2 wrote: post #4

the entire system lies within one Earth orbit Perhaps little chance of life as we know it.

This is entirely dependent on the luminosity of the star. The intensity of the light diminishes according to an inverse-square rule and is dependent on the star's temperature and diameter.

Re: Seven-Planet System Detected

#17

Post by robertfw » Tue, Oct 29, 2013, 7:20 PM UTC

ck2 wrote: post #4

the entire system lies within one Earth orbit Perhaps little chance of life as we know it.

Emphasis on "as we know it". With the wild diversity of living conditions we have found just here on Earth, I hope that we find an equally diverse array of life Out There, spanning a wide variety of conditions that we considered too hostile.

Re: Seven-Planet System Detected

#18

Post by IbJacked » Tue, Oct 29, 2013, 7:23 PM UTC

wonderyak wrote: post #6

nezumi wrote: post #3

Hang on, I thought 'Solar system' means the system orbiting the star 'Sol' i.e. our sun? Isn't the general term 'planetary system'?

Yes, 'Solar' refers to our sun, Sol. So there is only one 'Solar' system which is our own. I think 'star system' is acceptable as well.

I'm not disagreeing, but genuinely curious: what do astronomers call the "solar wind" in other systems? Referring to every wind by the star's name would seem odd.

Re: Seven-Planet System Detected

#19

Post by ck2 » Tue, Oct 29, 2013, 7:25 PM UTC

deletes wrote: post #8

devx wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, unreachable without FTL travel.

It would take about 15.6 years [0] to reach the star on a ship capable of a constant 1G acceleration. Here is the explanation and equations: http://math.ucr.edu/home/baez/physics/Relativity/SR/rocket.h... [0]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6637131

It is dubious we will ever travel faster than 10% the speed of light.

But a probe might be able to.

Re: Seven-Planet System Detected

#20

Post by doctoboggan » Tue, Oct 29, 2013, 7:25 PM UTC

nezumi wrote: post #3

Hang on, I thought 'Solar system' means the system orbiting the star 'Sol' i.e. our sun? Isn't the general term 'planetary system'?

I usually hear them referred to as stellar systems. But like my sibling comment said, they are trying to say this stellar system is a second "solar system" due to its similarities.