Responding to me, Jacqui wrote:
If you have a faster-than-light spaceship, it's no problem at all, as the radiation and debris from the supernova can't travel outward faster than the speed of light. (That's assuming you know the supernova is coming, of course...)
Would make an 'interesting' story (of any SF flavour) (g).
Hey, it would be "interesting" to see this kind of science done right by any SF TV show *ever*. (Though, I must say, _Andromeda_ at least makes a decent attempt at it much of the time.)
From: Betty Ragan ragan@sdc.org
Responding to me, Jacqui wrote:
If you have a faster-than-light spaceship, it's no problem at all, as the radiation and debris from the supernova can't travel outward faster than the speed of light. (That's assuming you know the supernova is coming, of course...)
Had a background idea for a story - would supernovae become tourist events? They are, after all, visible over considerable distances, hundreds if not thousands of light years. The one that created the Crab Nebula - 5000 ly away - was visible from Earth for three months. The event itself could be under continuous observation, with a series of observation platforms progressively further away from the star in question. 400 ly from Earth, the 1604 supernova has yet to become visible.
A whole new dimension of culture could arise from this. Couples might get married under the flare of an exploding star - and then return 20, 50, or 60 years to celebrate their anniversary watching the same star explode from just a little bit further out (tens of light years being a negligible distance to an FTL society that can reach the edge of the galaxy). Supernovae might form the climax of a celebrity comeback concert. A geeky collectors club of rich travellers might do the rounds, with an elite inner circle bagging them all every year. Supernovae might become a lucrative property, the owners selling observation rights, with lawyers haggling over viewing distance limits and other minutiae. Eventually, a been-there-done-that 'supernova fatigue' might set in, with ensuing public disinterest.
That was the background concept, anyway. Never did get any idea for a plot.
Neil
From: "Neil Faulkner" N.Faulkner@tesco.net Subject: Re: [B7L] Orbit, Vila and Avon
Had a background idea for a story - would supernovae become tourist events? They are, after all, visible over considerable distances, hundreds if not thousands of light years. The one that created the Crab Nebula - 5000 ly away - was visible from Earth for three months. The event itself could be under continuous observation, with a series of observation platforms progressively further away from the star in question. 400 ly from Earth, the 1604 supernova has yet to become visible.
It sounds like something that was mentioned in the first "Red Dwarf" novel - the ship on which Kryten was found was a "Star Destroyer" - it travelled through space triggering supernovae; the stars were precisely selected so that the explosions would be simultaneously visible from Earth and spell out the most expensive advertising slogan ever.
Wildean
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Betty Ragan -
Neil Faulkner -
Pat Sumner