If we find a way to send a probe to another star, which would we go to first?

Question

Hypothetical" Let's say we find a way to send a satellite a decent percent of the speed of light, so that it could reach another star within a human lifetime, and beam back anything interesting it learns. A human going along is out of the question, since you'd need to build something much more massive to keep them alive for the trip, and a return trip isn't really practical, either. Which star are we going to visit?

Proxima Centauri is the closest at 4.22 light years, so we'd hear back the soonest, but it can't be the most interesting star within a reasonable distance. Gliese 876 we know to have at least three planets, and it's only about 15 light years away, so is that the obvious choice?

Ya know, it is a hypothetical, you can't really presume by the time we come up with the means I suggested, other means of detection will then reveal the correct answer. Supposing we had this technology now, with only our current means of detection.

Answer 1

Because of the enormous costs involved in stellar travel it would make sense that the first star to explore (other than the sun) would be the next closest one, Proxima centauri.

You make a good point though, we know a lot about stellar life cycles so if Proxima centauri is just a star in isolation it would be far more interesting to see another planetary system (not that we've explored our own properly yet) If our manufacturing abilities continue with programmable matter and nanotechnolgy maybe we'll be able to send lots of probes and await the results. A manned mission is something that won't be contemplated for at least 50 years. Probably much longer.

Answer 2

If you are looking for life or habitable planets, you probably want a star that's about the same age as ours, and about the same size and luminosity. If its too bright, its life time would be too short, If its too dim, the habitable zone around the planet would be much smaller. So basically you would want a G class star. OK you could also reasonably choose a F or K, but lets limit it to a reasonable number. Ours is G2. The closest star system contains Alpha Centauri, which is a G2, but it is part of a triple star system. Alpha centauri A, Alpha Centauri B and Proxima Centauri. Mission designers might be hesitant about selecting such a system because of gravitational effects on planets.
Within 12 light years there are a total of 109 stars and 8 brown dwarfs. Only a few of these are G class single star systems.
1. Tau Ceti g8
2. Eta Cassiopeiae G0
3. 82 Eridani G5
4. Delta Pavonis g5

Intense observations would probably be made of these systems before a choice would be made. Of course if the consensus is that gravitational effects on planets by other stars in multiple star systems is negligible, then Alpha Centauri A would be the logical choice.

Answer 3

I do not believe we are in any position to determine which is the best yet. In a few years, new powerful telescope and orbiting instruments will provide us with a much better way of finding extra-solar planets, and perhaps find earth sized ones orbiting at a distance that is compatible with liquid water. Then we would have our best candidate.
Now is too early to tell, but by only a few years.
There may be interesting star systems closer that Gliese 876 is, with even more planets that have not been identified yet.
If we had to launch now, only with what we presently know, I would go with Lalande 21185, 8.3 light years away, which shows a Jupiter size planet orbiting at Saturn-like distance, and two more planets as well. But that is not my first choice; my first choise would be to wait just a little.

Answer 4

I'd be tempted to go to Gliese 876.
But, let's say we could actually send something at 1/10 the speed of light. It would take over a hundred years more to get there than Proxima Centauri.
IF we could somehow go at 1/2 the speed of light, the difference would only be a little over 20 years, so I would then go to Gliese 876, in anticipation of a much bigger research "payoff" of studying another star AND its planets.

Answer 5

Surely our targets should be the most accessible Sol-type stars. Our objective in our quest into space has always been to find realistically alternative accommodation for our human descendants.

Once we are able to travel as far as the nearest star, it should not be too difficult to go much further, so the distance to be travelled is not a matter of concern.

By the time we are capable of such prodigious journeys, terraforming (making like Earth) planets should be a tried and tested technology in our own solar system. We shall, however, probably require a Sol type star to provide our energy requirements, unless we have mastered star formation or adaption as well.

Finding a Sol type star, with planets in the habitable zone (not too hot or too cold), within (theoretically possible) striking distance, should not be too difficult. Modern astronomy would seem to indicate that there may be dozens of potential targets in our sector of the Milky Way galaxy. Take your pick.

Answer 6

The Centauri tri-nary system would still be the best choice. There are probably ~Earth-sized planets orbiting all 3 stars -- we just don't have the technology to see them, yet.

By the time we came up with a probe that could travel at 0.25c to 0.33c we would probably have detected planets in the Centauri system. Then it would not be a Y!Question, at all, whether to go there first, or not.

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Answer 7

If a probe is despatched to a diverse celebrity gadget, it would certainly have a minimum of one telescope aboard that is used to look for planets in orbit around the celebrity. the information can then be used to verify their orbits and make the calculations required for the probe to execute an orbit insertion maneuver. that could require an substantial propulsion gadget with numerous propellant because of the fact to easily make a one way holiday to between the closest stars in below a century demands velocities on the order of 20,000 miles in line with 2nd. At that velocity, the probe will bypass appropriate with the aid of the celebrity gadget in a rely of hours, so it would ought to apply it rather is propulsion gadget to decelerate sufficient for the celebrity's gravity to seize it. because of sunshine years placing apart undertaking controllers from the spacecraft, the spacecraft would ought to have synthetic intelligence and be waiting to act autonomously. except somebody makes a leap forward in physics that helps swifter than easy commute, curiously that the only way we are able to wish to even attain the celebrities interior of 10 easy years of the sunlight is a few style of nuclear pulse jet rocket with the technologies attainable now or projected to grow to be attainable interior the subsequent century or 2.

Answer 8

The closest is an obvious choice.