How big is your Light Cone?, calculate your ever-growing sphere of potential causality |
How big is your Light Cone?, calculate your ever-growing sphere of potential causality |
May 8 2006, 04:43 PM
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#1
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Member Group: Members Posts: 562 Joined: 29-March 05 Member No.: 221 |
I found this really wonderful RSS feed which will calculate the number of stars encompassed in your own personal light cone.
From the link: From the moment of my birth, light [that I could have influenced] has been expanding around the Earth and light [which could influence me, from an increasing distance of origin] reaching it -- this ever-growing sphere of potential causality is my light cone. My lightcone contains 32 stars the most recent being P Eridani. |
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May 8 2006, 05:59 PM
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#2
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Member Group: Members Posts: 510 Joined: 17-March 05 From: Southeast Michigan Member No.: 209 |
You may have left the link out, Paxdan - I think this is the one. Pretty neat - I'm 3 months away from Zeta Doradus, myself
This is similar to Birthday Stars, which is something I read about in S&T a few years back. Basically, your birthday star in a given year is the one with a light-year distance that's closest to your age. When you look at that star, the light you are seeing was emitted by that star on the day (or month or year, whenever you get to see it) of your birth. It was pretty mind blowing to my 8.6 year old when I showed her Sirius -------------------- --O'Dave
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May 8 2006, 06:10 PM
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#3
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Dublin Correspondent Group: Admin Posts: 1799 Joined: 28-March 05 From: Celbridge, Ireland Member No.: 220 |
Clearly there are some advantages to getting older - I apparently have 79 stars within my light cone. Sweet.
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May 8 2006, 06:22 PM
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#4
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Member Group: Members Posts: 562 Joined: 29-March 05 Member No.: 221 |
You may have left the link out, Paxdan - I think this is the one. Yep thats the one, not quite sure how i managed to omit it. I have added it to the post. |
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May 8 2006, 06:33 PM
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#5
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Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14431 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1 |
Just 2 days from Mu Herculis here
Doug |
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May 8 2006, 08:31 PM
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#6
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 2998 Joined: 30-October 04 Member No.: 105 |
Make me feel bad. I'm outside their envelope.
--Bill -------------------- |
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May 8 2006, 10:24 PM
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#7
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 2488 Joined: 17-April 05 From: Glasgow, Scotland, UK Member No.: 239 |
Make me feel bad. I'm outside their envelope. --Bill Bill: Does that mean that your twin on the spaceship can kill your grandfather with impunity? Or even a big stick? Of course, you'd never know... Bob Shaw -------------------- Remember: Time Flies like the wind - but Fruit Flies like bananas!
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