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The universe - big innit



Birdie Boy

Well-known member
Jun 17, 2011
4,352
What about bugs, giant ants and spaceships!? :thumbsup:

starshiptroopers_l.jpg

Have you been watching Apollo 18? http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1772240/
 








dingodan

New member
Feb 16, 2011
10,080
There is no concrete evidence that other stars have orbiting planets - our own is the basis for assuming there is, but we simply don't have the technology to look for none luminous bodies in space outside our own solar system.

By observing a star closely they had been able to detect the presence of planets. For example if a planets orbit comes between us and the star, then by observing the the way that the light from the star is obstructed as the planets orbit we can learn about the planet.

There are also more complex dynamics between stars and planets whereby observation of the planets effects on it's star can be used to determine it's presence and in some cases other information like the size of the planet and it's distance from it's star etc.


And we have found planets.

"A recent discovery has shown that the star 55 Cancri, 41 light years away, has a system of 5 planets, with distributions somewhat similar to the solar systems inner planets (though with much higher masses). As our measurements become sensitive to lower masses, some astronomers believe that we will find many such systems with a substantial complement of planets (perhaps even dynamically full – that is, containing as many planets as can coexist in orbital harmony).

In other reports, a number of planets with masses near that of Earth have been detected. The results are few, but because the measurements are very difficult, the detections are considered significant and possibly indicative of many more to be found in the future. Again, only years of study will tell."

Planets Around Other Stars - NASA Science
 


Bwian

Kiss my (_!_)
Jul 14, 2003
15,898




Bold Seagull

strong and stable with me, or...
Mar 18, 2010
30,436
Hove
By observing a star closely they had been able to detect the presence of planets. For example if a planets orbit comes between us and the star, then by observing the the way that the light from the star is obstructed as the planets orbit we can learn about the planet.

There are also more complex dynamics between stars and planets whereby observation of the planets effects on it's star can be used to determine it's presence and in some cases other information like the size of the planet and it's distance from it's star etc.


And we have found planets.



Planets Around Other Stars - NASA Science

Exactly my point, and the article is telling you that we are at the very beginning of understanding exoplanets. Our only knowledge of them is not from themselves directly, but of their impact on the star that they orbit, we measure the effect the exoplanet has on the information we can measure from the star. In that respect, what we know is through theoretical conjecture, and not through being able to see and measure the exoplanet itself. I think one or 2 people take things far too literally. I would have thought the statement 'concrete' evidence, i.e. we can see the moon and land on it, does not apply to exoplanets orbiting other stars.
 




Shropshire Seagull

Well-known member
Nov 5, 2004
8,768
Telford
The interesting thing for me is the scale.
For a colony of ants in you garden, their word is a couple of square metres.
They have little awareness of the other corner of your garden and the ants who live there as its a huge effort to travel - the other side of the world in their scale.
So, for ants, the next door neighbour's garden is too far to consider to explore or travel - yet to us its a few strides.
Imagine the distance of a mile to an ant - yet 15-20 mins walking or 1 minute in a car a 60mph is very close to us.

So, what if our solar system is just the same scale to some other "being" as the ant hill is to us.
The next galaxy to them is just the next door neighbour away in our scale.

What if ?

Imagine .........
 






larus

Well-known member
The interesting thing for me is the scale.
For a colony of ants in you garden, their word is a couple of square metres.
They have little awareness of the other corner of your garden and the ants who live there as its a huge effort to travel - the other side of the world in their scale.
So, for ants, the next door neighbour's garden is too far to consider to explore or travel - yet to us its a few strides.
Imagine the distance of a mile to an ant - yet 15-20 mins walking or 1 minute in a car a 60mph is very close to us.

So, what if our solar system is just the same scale to some other "being" as the ant hill is to us.
The next galaxy to them is just the next door neighbour away in our scale.

What if ?

Imagine .........

Have to call for Bruce in Die Hard 5.0. They'll be some big mothers.
 


Triggaaar

Well-known member
Oct 24, 2005
52,982
Goldstone
The universe is just unimaginably big, its unreal.
It's completely mental. Does my head in (sorry for getting technical).
Exactly, even the next nearest star within our galaxy Alphi Centauri is over 4 light years away, and there isn't any firm evidence there are any planets orbiting that. In fact, there is no concrete evidence that other stars have orbiting planets - our own is the basis for assuming there is
That's wrong. We're not just assuming.
Our only knowledge of them is not from themselves directly, but of their impact on the star that they orbit, we measure the effect the exoplanet has on the information we can measure from the star. In that respect, what we know is through theoretical conjecture, and not through being able to see and measure the exoplanet itself. I think one or 2 people take things far too literally. I would have thought the statement 'concrete' evidence, i.e. we can see the moon and land on it, does not apply to exoplanets orbiting other stars.
'firm' evidence has morphed into 'concrete' evidence right in front of my eyes. You're being a bit silly.
 






BrianSwan

Active member
Apr 15, 2012
289
the thing is, that's just the observable universe too! They think now (nearly all leading physicists) that there are multiple of universes, maybe even an infinite amount of them constantly springing into existence on a regular basis.

 


Brighton TID

New member
Jul 24, 2005
1,741
Horsham
Let's face it, there are some clever people around, particularly that geezer with the electro voice, but nobody, NOBODY really knows what the feck its all about. Even the best scientist knows only about 0.000000001% of what this thing we live within actually is, how we came about and why.
 






Bold Seagull

strong and stable with me, or...
Mar 18, 2010
30,436
Hove
It's completely mental. Does my head in (sorry for getting technical).
That's wrong. We're not just assuming.
'firm' evidence has morphed into 'concrete' evidence right in front of my eyes. You're being a bit silly.

My posts do sound a bit confused I admit, I think my point (I'm trying to make) is valid though regarding how much we know about planets outside our solar system.

Edit: I should add that we actually don't know that much about the outer planets in our own solar system by comparison to our knowledge of planets orbiting surrounding stars!
 




Badger

NOT the Honey Badger
NSC Patron
May 8, 2007
13,086
Toronto
Open Google in type in:

what is the answer to life the universe and everything
 






Badger

NOT the Honey Badger
NSC Patron
May 8, 2007
13,086
Toronto
I hope that many people don't have to use Google to know the answer to that!

You would hope not and I imagine the people that do have to use Google will be puzzled by the answer.
 


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