"Neil Faulkner" N.Faulkner@tesco.net wrote:
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
But a tad 'Restaurant at the end of the universe'-ish if one is not careful.
Is it possible to fly through/skim the edge of a star (apart from the asteroid mentioned in (I think) Sarcophagus)
Jacqui
(who did not mean to start an astronomical debate)
__________________________________________________________________ Your favorite stores, helpful shopping tools and great gift ideas. Experience the convenience of buying online with Shop@Netscape! http://shopnow.netscape.com/
Get your own FREE, personal Netscape Mail account today at http://webmail.netscape.com/
From: jacquispeel@netscape.net
But a tad 'Restaurant at the end of the universe'-ish if one is not
careful.
I never saw that connection. Damn:) ReU probably never occurred to me because (a) it involves time travel, which to me at least has no place at all in B7 (despite one or two amusing bits of fanfic which use it to good effect), and (b) ReU is a wry comment on the futility of existence, whereas supernova tourism is more a wry comment on the superficiality of popular culture.
Neil
-
jacquispeel＠netscape.net -
Neil Faulkner