Traveling anywhere in the galaxy in your life time

In summary, the conversation discusses the concept of time dilation and how it affects the perception of time for observers traveling at near the speed of light. From the perspective of someone on Earth, it would take at least 1000 years to travel to a star 1000 light years away. However, for someone on the ship traveling at near the speed of light, the trip would only take a few hours due to the contraction of distance and time. This opens up the possibility for humans to explore the entire universe within their lifetime. However, it would require a significant amount of energy to achieve such speeds. Two proposed methods for interstellar travel are building an antimatter rocket and utilizing black hole starships.
  • #1
mihaiv
6
0
If we pick a target star 1000 light years away, from the point of view of an observer on Earth we will need at least 1000 years to send a ship there even with the ship traveling near the speed of light.
But, from the point of view of someone on that ship that travels with near the speed of light the trip may be just a few hours long. That is because they see that star and Earth moving relative to them near the speed of light, and the distance between Earth and that star contracts from their point of view on a scale dependent on the speed.
Someone on Earth who sees them traveling for years will see that their clocks go much slower and they hardly age at all.
This opens the possibility for humans to explore the entire universe in the lifetime of the explorers. But, of course they can't report their findings to the people that sent them as those don't exist anymore.
Am I right here?
 
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  • #2
mihaiv said:
Am I right here?
Sure. Lots of luck getting your ship going that fast though. (It would take an enormous amount of energy.)
 
  • #3
The http://math.ucr.edu/home/baez/physics/Relativity/SR/rocket.html has a good discussion of these issues.
 
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  • #4
Doc Al said:
Lots of luck getting your ship going that fast though. (It would take an enormous amount of energy.)

Two of the methods that have been proposed:

Frisbee: How to build an antimatter rocket for interstellar missions
http://www.aiaa.org/Participate/Uploads/2003-4676.pdf

Crane & Westmoreland: Are black hole starships possible?
http://arxiv.org/abs/0908.1803v1
 
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1. How is it possible to travel anywhere in the galaxy in my lifetime?

With advancements in technology and space exploration, it is becoming more feasible to travel to different parts of the galaxy within a person's lifetime. Scientists are constantly developing new propulsion systems and methods of faster-than-light travel that could make this possible.

2. How long would it take to travel to different parts of the galaxy?

The time it takes to travel to different parts of the galaxy would depend on the distance and the type of propulsion technology being used. With current technology, it would take thousands of years to reach the closest star system outside our own. However, future advancements could potentially reduce this time significantly.

3. Is it safe to travel to different parts of the galaxy?

There are many potential hazards and challenges associated with traveling in space, especially to different parts of the galaxy. These include exposure to radiation, micrometeoroids, and the effects of prolonged space travel on the human body. However, with proper precautions and advanced technology, it is possible to mitigate these risks and make space travel safer.

4. Can regular people go on these galactic journeys?

Currently, space travel to different parts of the galaxy is limited to trained astronauts and scientists. However, as technology advances and space tourism becomes more popular, it is possible that regular people may one day have the opportunity to go on these galactic journeys.

5. Will we ever be able to reach other galaxies in our lifetime?

At the current rate of technological advancement, it is unlikely that we will be able to reach other galaxies in our lifetime. The immense distances and challenges involved make it a difficult feat to achieve. However, with continued research and development, it is not impossible that future generations may have the ability to travel to other galaxies.

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