AboutJames Gort Expertise Questions on observational astronomy, optics, and astrophysics. Specializing in the evolution of stars, variable stars, supernovae, neuton stars/pulsars, black holes, quasars, and cosmology.
Experience I was a professional astronomer (University of Texas, McDonald Observatory), lecturer at the Adler Planetarium, professor of astrophysics, and amateur astronomer for 42 years. I have made numerous telescopes, and I am currently building one of the largest private observatories in Canada.
Publications StarDate, University of Texas, numerous Journal Publications
Tony Schofield wrote at 2008-06-01 20:43:44
Whilst Prof Gort has answered this question correctly from a numerical point of view, there is slightly more to it then that.
For example, if you were an observer watching a space craft travelling between Earth and Mars at light speed then the figures he has quoted are all correct
However, if you were actually IN the space craft, you would complete the trip without any time passing at all. The journey would be instantaneous! (In slightly more realistic terms, the journey would take a tiny fraction of a second because your craft would never quite reach light speed)
From a slightly different angle, the bad news is that, even if a space craft could be designed to fly at almost light speed, it would take approximately 1 earth year to safely accelorate to it's top speed.
Tony Schofield
Ramapokid wrote at 2009-11-22 05:23:09
if I am right and I might be wrong, but it would be between 9.6 to 23.9 light minutes, the orbits suck..
