Page 1 of Proxima Centauri Here We Come!

Planet discovered orbiting our second nearest star.

Maybe I'm a sci-fi nut, but surely this should have been front page, headline news, the kind of news you cut into Eastenders and Corrie to announce.

Proxima Centauri is our second nearest star after the sun, 4.2 light years away. It's in long orbit around Alpha Centauri A and B. Astronomers discovered that Proxima has a slight wobble that is very likely caused by a planet, and they've also inferred that it's just a little larger than Earth, and it's in the Goldilocks zone, close enough to have liquid water on the surface, a prerequisite for life.

Dunno about you, but I'm packing my bags. Best possible speed with current technology, 19,000 years. I'll send you a postcard

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Jitendar Canth

Quote:
"I thought what I`d do was, I`d pretend I was one of those deaf-mutes."

Site Reviewer at DVD Reviewer & MyReviewer

Carving out a niche with a pneumatic drill at Anime @ MyReviewer.com

Taxi for Mr Canth
Any drivers out there got their passport with them.
That's going to one helluva a pack lunch.

On a more serious side the younger among us (ie not me)
could be around for an answer to any satellite launch.
If this gets off the ground

Snaps

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My new Flash Fiction blog. All my own work
500ish

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I used to be with it, but then they changed what `it` was.
Now, what I`m with isn`t it, and what`s `it` seems weird and scary

Trouble with intergalactic flight at under light speeds is by the time you get to the destination planet, either by being frozen body being revived, or a generations ship or even embryionics born taught and raised a couple of decades just before landing, it is all for naught.

Why is it all for naught you say?

Well after the ship leaves Earth, technology will get light speed flight and get to the planet in 4.2 years, set up a society  and infrastructure, there will then be conflict and war and total destruction requiring a thousand years to rebuild and have shops specialising in a big mac burger and fries ready for you when you and your mates land on the planet.

Then you realise that you could have stayed at home and went to McDonalds here instead 

Well aren't you the little ray of sunshine.

Snaps

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My new Flash Fiction blog. All my own work
500ish

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I used to be with it, but then they changed what `it` was.
Now, what I`m with isn`t it, and what`s `it` seems weird and scary

Quote:
bandicoot says...
"Well after the ship leaves Earth, technology will get light speed flight and get to the planet in 4.2 years, set up a society and infrastructure, there will then be conflict and war and total destruction requiring a thousand years to rebuild and have shops specialising in a big mac burger and fries ready for you when you and your mates land on the planet."
Three significant things wrong with your point.

The first is that technology will ever exist to move ships at the speed of light, or even remotely close to the speed of light. There is nothing even remotely on the horizon, in fact currently known to physics, which would solve this problem.

The second thing, that someone who had gone through this wouldn't be happy about arriving somewhere already populated with restaurants and comfy chairs.

The third, and possibly even worse thing wrong with your theory, is the idea Starbucks wouldn't beat McDonalds to dominating that planet.

Editor
MYREVIEWER.COM

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Quote:
Three significant things wrong with your point.

The first is that technology will ever exist to move ships at the speed of light, or even remotely close to the speed of light. There is nothing even remotely on the horizon, in fact currently known to physics, which would solve this problem.Not quite....

Engineers will solve the problem of light speed over scientists saying that its impossible.

Take the famous senario of the difference between an Engineer and a scientist, who being in a room with a naked woman at the far end but with the rule that they can only take one big step and all other steps must be slightly less than their previous step.

The scientist says its impossible and sits down on the floor, meanwhile the engineer steps forwards and keeps going, saying 'I'm getting there, 'im getting there' 

Quote:
The second thing, that someone who had gone through this wouldn't be happy about arriving somewhere already populated with restaurants and comfy chairs. Better than being blasted by a green alien with a heavy weapon, thats what I always say 

Quote:
The third, and possibly even worse thing wrong with your theory, is the idea Starbucks wouldn't beat McDonalds to dominating that planet.
Yep, Starbucks sounds more futuristic, but if its £2,300,000 for a latte, forget it, I am staying on present day Earth  

Quote:
bandicoot says...
"Engineers will solve the problem of light speed over scientists saying that its impossible"
Can you give any example where that has happened in your lifetime?


Quote:
bandicoot says...
"Take the famous senario of the difference between an Engineer and a scientist"
Is this like the famous scenario where someone tried to teach a conspiracy theorist science, but finally says its impossible and sits down on the floor?


Editor
MYREVIEWER.COM

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Quote:
Rob Shepherd says...
"Can you give any example where that has happened in your lifetime?"
It's already happened but the US government is keeping it a secret...or something...


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Si Wooldridge
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