2006-12-23 03:40:49 · 10 answers · asked by Darth Vader 6 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
About 8.5 minutes to reach the sun, which is the nearest star.
2006-12-23 03:44:48 · answer #1 · answered by Feeling Mutual 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
At 98% the speed of light, relativity says that length contraction is l *(1-(v/c)^2)^1/2 ; with v = 0,98c this comes out to about .19 so all distance in the direction of travel of the spaceship contracts by 0.19.The nearest start (not our own) is Alpha Centauri at 3 light years or 3x9.461x10e15 miles. This distance will shrink to .19 of that or 5.4 x10e15 miles. The ship will get there in .19 x 3 light years or about six months. Of course 3 years will pass by here on earth during that time.
2006-12-23 12:20:11 · answer #2 · answered by ZeedoT 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It would probably take 4.5 years at 98% the speed of light. It takes 4.5 years at 98% the speed of light because the nearset star to our solar system, Proxima Centauri,traveling at the speed of light would take 4.3 years.Since we are only doing 98% im figuring that it would take about 2 months longer to get there.
2006-12-23 11:56:08 · answer #3 · answered by karatechamp2007 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Do we count in the time for acceleration?
Then I would need to know at what acceleration they used that did not crush the people in the spacecraft.
I am going to assume that they accelerated at a comfortable 1 g (9.80665 meters/sec/sec)
Now v=at or t=v/a, so the time to accelerate to .98 c is 29,958,916.54 seconds (don't worry we will change that later, but it is simpler to keep it at seconds for a few more steps)
D=1/2*a*t^2 so the distance you would travel while accelerating to .98 c is 4,400,914,041,282,390.00 kilometers, Since we also have to decelerate (a lousy term, but one that is understood) so we don’t over shoot it we have to multiply that by 2 so we have 8,801,828,082,564,790.00 kilometers for acceleration and deceleration.
Now, Alpha Centuari is 4.21 light years away or 39,829,675,289,565.20 kilometers so if we subtract the distance required for acceleration and deceleration we have -8,761,998,407,275,220.00 kilometers.
HUH. Accelerating at 1 gravity of acceleration we would over shoot Alpha Centuari!
OK, then let’s look at 2g. A bit uncomfortable, but humans can live with it for a while.
At 2g:
14,974,342.96 time to accelerate to .98c
2,199,705,590,364,010.00 Distance covered in acceleration
4,399,411,180,728,030.00 twice distance
-4,359,581,505,438,460.00 distance left to travel to Alpha Centuari.
Sorry, but accelerations above 2g for any sustained time could kill our travelers, so it looks like you will have to pick a different star.
2006-12-23 13:33:50 · answer #4 · answered by Walking Man 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Proxima Centauri is the closest star. It is 4.22 light years away. Assuming that you can instantly accelerate to 98% of the speed of light and instantly stop when you arrive at Proxima Centauri, then...
4.22 light years / 0.98 light speed = 4.30 years
However, it is unlikely that anyone will ever build such a ship capable of intantaneous (near) light speed travel or capable of intantaneous deceleration.
2006-12-23 13:23:29 · answer #5 · answered by Otis F 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
If you're not counting our sun, Sol, and if you've been taught that Alpha Centari is the nearest star, it's the designation of 3: Proxima Centari, Alpha Centari A, & Alpha Centari B,
Proxima Centari= 4.2420(16) (ly)[2]
Alpha Centari A=4.3649(69) (ly) [2]
Alpha Centari B=4.3649(69) (ly) [2]
2006-12-23 12:40:41 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
About 9 minutes to reach our sun, the nearest star.
Next would be about 4.6 years to reach Alpha Centauri the next closest star.
2006-12-23 11:53:02 · answer #7 · answered by Warren914 6 · 3⤊ 1⤋
If not counting the sun:
closest star is 4.22 Lightyears away(proxima centauri). 4.22 ly / 0.98 c(speed of light) = 4.30 years (4 years + 112 days) in earth time.
If you travel yourself it will take 4.30/Squareroot(1-0.98^2))= 0.86 years (313 days).
To the sun:
149 597 870 691 meters away (1 Astronomical Unit) / 0.98*299 792 458 meters per second = 509 seconds = 8.49 minutes, you would experience yourself that as 8.49 *Squareroot(1-0.98^2))=1.69 minutes
2006-12-23 11:53:06 · answer #8 · answered by angsthaas 1 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Exactly 9.9 seconds....yup I figured that out on my new handy dandy spacecraft calculator I got for X=maS!!
2006-12-23 11:49:02 · answer #9 · answered by Bones 3 · 0⤊ 3⤋
it takes seconds
2006-12-23 11:43:44 · answer #10 · answered by hari 1 · 0⤊ 4⤋