Recognizing a free falling on a star?

Question

Let's suppose to be an astronaut travelling in the free space, without any gravitational force on you and without any near object to understand your current speed. Suddenly, a star appears at your backs and you start falling on it with a strong acceleration. Would you notice it?

Answer 1

You would not feel any change. You were weightless before the star 'appeared'. And once you come under the acceleration (you might call it deceleration), you would still be weightless in the reference system of the interior of your spacecraft. You would be subject to the same gravity of this star as your spacecraft, and would still be free-floating.

Even if your spacecraft were exerting thrust, you would feel only the force of that thrust on your body. Assuming you are in a seat, the seat has to push you to keep you moving at the spacecraft's velocity. Even though the acceleration due to the star is presumably much higher than that of the thrust, all you feel is the relatively small thrust. It's because you fall equally with the spacecraft. Think back to the last time you were in an elevator and the cable broke.

You would notice only if you looked astern, or it started getting hot.

Answer 2

Yes, you would. You would notice the stars in front of you accelerating away from you. Also, your body would always detect a gravitational force. Its like being in a totally dark box that travels at constant velocity, then it suddenly stops. Inertia will "push" you. In the case of this astronaut, inertia will "pull" her.

Answer 3

You would only feel it if you were in a ship that was trying to accelerate away from the star. If you are in free fall, you would feel nothing.