Once in a Lifetime Event - Page 2

StateBoiler · #31 (**permalink**) 28-June-2009, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tdvance

Not on your list, but we have the technology for sending a probe to the nearest star today, and get signals back in our lifetime (I'm thinking of a dual spacecraft--the main probe accelerates to near the speed of light and does a flyby at that speed, taking whatever photos, radar images, etc. that it can. A smaller one detaches halfway there and uses a solar sail to decelerate and gets there several years later than the big one, and sticks around for in-depth studies, perhaps even following instructions sent to it after we see the result of the big probe). There are a few things in the way: money, treaties against nuclear weapons in space, etc. But wouldn't it be such a boost to the space program and interest in science in general if 10 years from now we were seeing pictures of planets around Alpha Centauri A and B. (Of course, if one turned out to look like an Earth twin....follow up missions to see if there's higher life there would be immanent.)

Well, Voyager will make it into the interstellar medium in the next decade.

Ampatent · #32 (**permalink**) 28-June-2009, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StateBoiler

Well, Voyager will make it into the interstellar medium in the next decade.

Aren't most of the instruments on the Voyager probes dead by now (or in the near future)?

Fiery Phoenix · #33 (**permalink**) 29-June-2009, 05:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ampatent

Aren't most of the instruments on the Voyager probes dead by now (or in the near future)?

Not exactly. If I'm not mistaken, it's got enough fuel and is active enough to keep going for another 10 years or so -- until around 2020, which is not bad at all.

Bynaus · #34 (**permalink**) 29-June-2009, 02:55 PM

I chose the supernova event. If a star dies after millions of years, sheding vast amounts of mass into the interstellar medium and outshining all the other stars in the galaxy together - this is truely epical event.

Finding life on a nearby planet (such as Mars) would be a desaster if it turned out that it is indigenous, as it would indicate that the "big filter" needed to solve the Fermi paradox lies in our future, not in our past.

I have, already, experienced a comet impact with another planet - 1994, Shoemaker-Levy 9 with Jupiter...

closetgeek · #35 (**permalink**) 08-July-2009, 07:39 PM

Those are some tough choices, IMHO. I would love to say I witnessed something spectacular, I would be thrilled to be alive for some major leaps and bounds in human capability, but I chose microbial life. I honestly believe a manned mission to Mars is a matter of time, issue as well as a base on the moon. Impacts have happened and will happen again and the same can be said for supernovea. I think that finding life, beyond all doubt, even if it is microbial, would answer the question that humans have asked since we started looking up, "Are we alone?"

transreality · #36 (**permalink**) 08-July-2009, 10:47 PM

Just for the impact on human culture and science: I choose life!

GalacticBeatDown · #37 (**permalink**) 15-July-2009, 12:37 AM

Although microbial life is probably what I would normally choose first but however i must say that I would rather prefer a base on the moon. It would be so exhilarating and just amazing really. But also because it will develop our civilization into an even grander and more advanced space faring civilization.

Romanus · #38 (**permalink**) 31-July-2009, 12:27 AM

Supernova, hands-down.

For the record, my fingers are crossed for the next bright SN being in the Andromeda Galaxy, which hasn't sported one in almost 130 years.

Simona · #39 (**permalink**) 31-July-2009, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bynaus

I chose the supernova event. If a star dies after millions of years, sheding vast amounts of mass into the interstellar medium and outshining all the other stars in the galaxy together - this is truely epical event.

Agreed. It would be an exciting thing to study. And imagining it in the daytime is just breath-taking.

Of course, the discovery of microbial life would be exciting too, but I just prefered something I can actually see and somewhat observe myself.

I don't know about the mission to Mars. I'm a bit sceptical, no matter how much the planet fascinates me. It would probably steal way too much funding from other fields of science or astronomy and who knows if it would be successful.

View Poll Results: Which of the following would you most like to experience in your lifetime?
A supernova of naked eye visibility	14	21.21%
A fully operational base on the Moon	6	9.09%
A manned mission to Mars	10	15.15%
An asteroid/comet impact with another planet	1	1.52%
Discovery of microbial life on another planet	35	53.03%
Voters: 66. You may not vote on this poll

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