Juno is speeding around Jupiter at something like 160,000 mph. At that speed how many generations would it take to get to Alpha Centauri? Trying to come to a simple answer to give to folks thinking aliens visit us regularly.
I think hundreds or thousands of generations would live and die before we ever got to visit our nearest neighbors. Another thought I had is that if you did take that journey the scenery outside your window would never change because you are traveling so slowly. No stars whizzing by like in sci-fi movies.
Not an appealing idea to me at all.
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2 comments
Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.18,412 years according to wolfram Alpha.
[wolframalpha.com]
chilehead9
Level 7
Oct 2, 2018
2
Thanks!
Please check my math on this, but if Alpha Centauri is 4.243 light years away, that translates to 25.67 trillion (or 25 trillion, 670 billion) miles (25,670,000,000,000). At 160,000 miles per hour, I calculate a total travel time at that speed as about 160,437,500 hours. If you divide this by the number of hours in a year (8,760) you arrive at 18,305 years, give or take. If we assume 25 years per generation, the trip at 160,000 miles per hour will take a mere 733 generations.
p-nullifidian
Level 8
Oct 2, 2018
5
Exactly what I wanted. Thank you thank you thank you.
Fascinating