BNU: Research
Here are the instructions for lesson two part one...
In Lesson 2 we learned that ideas for science fiction stories can be found just about anywhere: in today’s news, in old magazines, online, or in the incidents in your own life.
1. Review a current newspaper, magazine or website for a data bit that has science fiction potential.
2. Describe the data bit, in a sentence or two, and the source.
3. In one or two paragraphs, describe the science fiction potential you see in this idea.
The Modafinil idea was inspired by a piece I'd heard on NPR a couple of days before so I'd unwittingly already DONE this assignment. Doh! So, just so I didn't rehash the same thing over again, I came up with another research idea. I call it "The Supernova Next Door".
Source 1: Space.com through CNN.com, “Ancient Rock Art May Depict Exploding Star”, June 6, 2006
http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/space/06/05/rock.art/index.html
Source 2: National Optical Astronomy Observatory News, Press Release March 5, 2003
http://www.noao.edu/outreach/press/pr03/pr0304.html
Space.com reported that thousand-year-old rock carvings in Arizona may represent the supernova of 1006 AD. This supernova, thought to be the brightest such event ever seen by humans, was well documented by Asian, Middle Eastern, and European observers of the time.
Further research turned up a fact-filled 2003 press release from NOAO News stating that astronomers had calculated the 1006 AD supernova originated 7,100 light years from Earth and appeared to observers on Earth as about one-quarter the brightness of a full moon. Interestingly, all class Ia supernovas like the one in 1006 AD have the same luminosity characteristics and if seen up close at the time of explosion it would have been as bright as five billion suns for a few weeks and then fade over several months. The shock wave of the explosion sent stellar matter spreading out from the supernova at a speed of 6 million miles per hour or 1 percent of the speed of light.
My Science Fiction Premise: What if our closest neighbor star, Alpha Centauri, went supernova in a similar fashion? What would happen to humanity, Earth, and our solar system? Since AC is about four light years from Earth it would take that long for us to “see” the explosion. What would five billion sun look like from only four light years away? Would the light alone devastate our planet…our solar system? Would there be heat as well as light? Would all of the planets in our solar system be crisped before we could say “Robinson Crusoe on Mars”? Assuming we survived the initial light show, what about that shock wave of stellar matter? Traveling at 1% of the speed of light, it would take about 400 years for the cosmic tsunami to hit our solar system. What physical force would be associated with such a shock wave? Would mankind try to dig in and ride it out or leave Earth in search of greener pastures? Would we have the foresight to act immediately or leave it for our great great great great great grandkids to worry about?
Another question…did the AC supernova in my premise happen without advance stellar warning? Ailing stars usually let their intentions to explode be known well ahead of time, but maybe this one didn’t. What, or who, caused the supernova…and why?
In Lesson 2 we learned that ideas for science fiction stories can be found just about anywhere: in today’s news, in old magazines, online, or in the incidents in your own life.
1. Review a current newspaper, magazine or website for a data bit that has science fiction potential.
2. Describe the data bit, in a sentence or two, and the source.
3. In one or two paragraphs, describe the science fiction potential you see in this idea.
The Modafinil idea was inspired by a piece I'd heard on NPR a couple of days before so I'd unwittingly already DONE this assignment. Doh! So, just so I didn't rehash the same thing over again, I came up with another research idea. I call it "The Supernova Next Door".
Source 1: Space.com through CNN.com, “Ancient Rock Art May Depict Exploding Star”, June 6, 2006
http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/space/06/05/rock.art/index.html
Source 2: National Optical Astronomy Observatory News, Press Release March 5, 2003
http://www.noao.edu/outreach/press/pr03/pr0304.html
Space.com reported that thousand-year-old rock carvings in Arizona may represent the supernova of 1006 AD. This supernova, thought to be the brightest such event ever seen by humans, was well documented by Asian, Middle Eastern, and European observers of the time.
Further research turned up a fact-filled 2003 press release from NOAO News stating that astronomers had calculated the 1006 AD supernova originated 7,100 light years from Earth and appeared to observers on Earth as about one-quarter the brightness of a full moon. Interestingly, all class Ia supernovas like the one in 1006 AD have the same luminosity characteristics and if seen up close at the time of explosion it would have been as bright as five billion suns for a few weeks and then fade over several months. The shock wave of the explosion sent stellar matter spreading out from the supernova at a speed of 6 million miles per hour or 1 percent of the speed of light.
My Science Fiction Premise: What if our closest neighbor star, Alpha Centauri, went supernova in a similar fashion? What would happen to humanity, Earth, and our solar system? Since AC is about four light years from Earth it would take that long for us to “see” the explosion. What would five billion sun look like from only four light years away? Would the light alone devastate our planet…our solar system? Would there be heat as well as light? Would all of the planets in our solar system be crisped before we could say “Robinson Crusoe on Mars”? Assuming we survived the initial light show, what about that shock wave of stellar matter? Traveling at 1% of the speed of light, it would take about 400 years for the cosmic tsunami to hit our solar system. What physical force would be associated with such a shock wave? Would mankind try to dig in and ride it out or leave Earth in search of greener pastures? Would we have the foresight to act immediately or leave it for our great great great great great grandkids to worry about?
Another question…did the AC supernova in my premise happen without advance stellar warning? Ailing stars usually let their intentions to explode be known well ahead of time, but maybe this one didn’t. What, or who, caused the supernova…and why?
posted by WDavid | 6/08/2006 06:13:00 AM
2 Comments:
Sounds interesting!!
Ditto
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