Astronomers discover largest solar system - Polidicks

[IMG]http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/660/cpsprodpb/CD37/production/_87953525_87953524.jpg[/IMG] [QUOTE]Astronomers have discovered the largest known solar system, [B]consisting of a large planet that takes nearly a million years to orbit its star[/B]. The gas giant is one trillion kilometres away, making its orbit 140 times wider than Pluto's path around our Sun. Only a handful of extremely wide pairs of this kind have been found in recent years. Details appear in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. The planet, known as 2MASS J2126-8140, is between 12 and 15 times the mass of Jupiter. "We were very surprised to find such a low-mass object so far from its parent star," said Dr Simon Murphy from the Australian National University (ANU). "There is no way it formed in the same way as our solar system did, from a large disc of dust and gas."[/QUOTE] [URL="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-35420633"]BBC NEWS[/URL]

When are we going to start exploring solar systems, fam? I can't wait for aliens.

[QUOTE=kikomia;49624184]When are we going to start exploring solar systems, fam? I can't wait for aliens.[/QUOTE] As soon as someone invents Faster than light travel.

[QUOTE=TheNerdPest14;49624205]As soon as someone invents Faster than light travel.[/QUOTE] I'm on it.

The velocity would have to be hella slow to stay in orbit so far away [editline]28th January 2016[/editline] It's nearly a tenth of a light year away from its star

[QUOTE=kikomia;49624209]I'm on it.[/QUOTE] Thanks bro.

Shouldn't Solar System only be used to refer to the system where Sol is and the other ones be called Star Systems? [QUOTE=TheNerdPest14;49624205]As soon as someone invents Faster than light travel.[/QUOTE] What if rather than traveling faster than light we invent ways to reduce distance?

[QUOTE=kikomia;49624209]I'm on it.[/QUOTE] God speed.

[QUOTE=TheNerdPest14;49624205]As soon as someone invents Faster than light travel.[/QUOTE] Ugh, gimme five, i'll sort it out.

this is it, this is the largest solar system, there are absolutely none larger than this one

I am 0.000028 2MASS J2126-8140-Years old.

[QUOTE=Ragekipz;49624281]Shouldn't Solar System only be used to refer to the system where Sol is and the other ones be called Star Systems?[/QUOTE] That's actually how it works, except they're called planetary systems. In a star system, stars orbit each other.

2mass4u

[QUOTE=Ragekipz;49624281]Shouldn't Solar System only be used to refer to the system where Sol is and the other ones be called Star Systems? What if rather than traveling faster than light we invent ways to reduce distance?[/QUOTE] That's how any "FTL" drive works in principle. You cannot travel faster than light, it's just a phrase used to convey travel that would appear to be faster than that.

I'd rather us fix our problems down here on Earth before worrying about space.

[QUOTE=Ogris;49624436]That's how any "FTL" drive works in principle. You cannot travel faster than light, it's just a phrase used to convey travel that would appear to be faster than that.[/QUOTE] You can in hyperspace. Well, technically you wouldn't be travelling faster than light because the ship would be inside a realspace buble, but the buble would be moving faster than light in hyperspace.

Kinda of like me

[QUOTE=TheNerdPest14;49624482]I'd rather us fix our problems down here on Earth before worrying about space.[/QUOTE] We gotta have somewhere to go when a meteor is gonna turn our planet into dust.

[QUOTE=JCDentonUNATCO;49624539]We gotta have somewhere to go when a meteor is gonna turn our planet into dust.[/QUOTE] I'd rather just stay here and die. I wouldn't think there'd be a point anymore after that. Assuming most of your family and all that is left there, even if it wasn't your old way of life is too.

[QUOTE=TheNerdPest14;49624751]I'd rather just stay here and die. I wouldn't think there'd be a point anymore after that. Assuming most of your family and all that is left there, even if it wasn't your old way of life is too.[/QUOTE] and that kind of reasoning is what keeps us away from the stars. earth is just a little grain of sand in a huge beach. we need to get away from here.

[QUOTE=kikomia;49624184]When are we going to start exploring solar systems, fam? I can't wait for aliens.[/QUOTE] Build us a space elevator so that it makes getting things into space dirt cheap.

[QUOTE=TheNerdPest14;49624482]I'd rather us fix our problems down here on Earth before worrying about space.[/QUOTE] Fucking lol, like that will ever happen. A good portion of people don't give a single damn about things that won't affect them directly. You and me will both be long dead by the time something substantial happens, which is exactly why people keep not caring.

[QUOTE=Adeptus;49624884]and that kind of reasoning is what keeps us away from the stars. earth is just a little grain of sand in a huge beach. we need to get away from here.[/QUOTE] Suit yourself. I've got my decision.

[QUOTE=Ragekipz;49624485]You can in hyperspace. Well, technically you wouldn't be travelling faster than light because the ship would be inside a realspace buble, but the buble would be moving faster than light in hyperspace.[/QUOTE] Hyperspace isn't actually a concrete thing, it's just a vague sci-fi idea of an alternate space where normal relativity doesn't apply. The writer of the sci-fi work defines it however they want.

[QUOTE=Mort Stroodle;49625388]Hyperspace isn't actually a concrete thing, it's just a vague sci-fi idea of an alternate space where normal relativity doesn't apply. The writer of the sci-fi work defines it however they want.[/QUOTE] Yeah, and shortening distance by some means instead of going faster than light is still a causality violation that contradicts general relativity. There are lot of sci-fi tropes to justify FTL that are purely fictional, but people seem to mistake them for plausible theoretical mechanisms for cheating Einstein. It's entirely possible that relativity is as airtight as it appears to be, and exploring the galaxy will be done at sub-light speeds.

[QUOTE=catbarf;49625510]Yeah, and shortening distance by some means instead of going faster than light is still a causality violation that contradicts general relativity. There are lot of sci-fi tropes to justify FTL that are purely fictional, but people seem to mistake them for plausible theoretical mechanisms for cheating Einstein. It's entirely possible that relativity is as airtight as it appears to be, and exploring the galaxy will be done at sub-light speeds.[/QUOTE] If that's really true, then the future of mankind is already doomed. [editline]28th January 2016[/editline] alcubierre drives, on the other hand.. it would be freaking awesome if we made those work.

[QUOTE=Adeptus;49625626]If that's really true, then the future of mankind is already doomed. [editline]28th January 2016[/editline] alcubierre drives, on the other hand.. it would be freaking awesome if we made those work.[/QUOTE] Chances are they probably never will. There are far too many problems with no solutions according to our current understanding of physics.

[QUOTE=l337k1ll4;49625683]Chances are they probably never will. There are far too many problems with no solutions according to our current understanding of physics.[/QUOTE] No problem is insoluble in all conceivable circumstances. If there is a solution for space travel, it will be found.

[QUOTE=Adeptus;49625626]If that's really true, then the future of mankind is already doomed.[/QUOTE] Why? I don't get this 'FTL or bust' idea. What about our solar system, something we don't need physics-defying magic to explore? What about generation ships? What about relativistic spacecraft? What about Bussard ramjets? Dial the scale from near-future to far-future however you like, there are plenty of possibilities that don't require circumventing the speed of light. What I hear is 'a future that doesn't look like Star Trek isn't worth it' and that just sounds fantastically narrow-minded to me.

[QUOTE=kikomia;49624184]When are we going to start exploring solar systems, fam? I can't wait for aliens.[/QUOTE] Not exploring. [B]Conquering.[/B] [video=youtube;CIGHCoVzqtk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIGHCoVzqtk[/video]