• Star Travel ?

    From casagiannoni@casagiannoni@optonline.net to alt.astronomy on Wed Feb 18 15:49:47 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.astronomy

    Never !

    Interstellar distances are so great, as to preclude any chance of
    travel or practical comunication.

    Do the simple math : Time = Distance / Speed

    This is why, although intelligent space faring species likely abound
    throughout the universe, we are never visited by any.
    --- Synchronet 3.21b-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From casagiannoni@casagiannoni@optonline.net to alt.astronomy on Wed Feb 18 17:51:01 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.astronomy

    Never !

    Interstellar distances are so great, as to preclude any chance of
    travel or practical comunication.

    Do the simple math : Time = Distance / Speed

    Even at speeds approaching c , which is highly unlikely in any case,
    times for even the shortest trips would be prohibitive.

    This is why, although intelligent space faring species likely abound
    throughout the universe, we are never visited by any.
    --- Synchronet 3.21b-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From a425couple@a425couple@hotmail.com to alt.astronomy,rec.aviation.military on Thu Feb 19 11:38:08 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.astronomy

    On 2/18/26 12:49, casagiannoni@optonline.net wrote:
    Never !

    Interstellar distances are so great, as to preclude any chance of
    travel or practical comunication.

    Do the simple math : Time = Distance / Speed

    This is why, although intelligent space faring species likely abound throughout the universe, we are never visited by any.

    I mostly agree about the travel.
    As we understand the scientific rules, no human will
    travel to another 'alien' civilization.
    But, if we try, and continue to make progress,
    we might indeed communicate with 'alien' life.

    There is no reason why we can not in the future
    (as our capabilities increase) create
    "artificial intelligence" controlled computers
    on space ships to go out as explorers, investigators,
    and diplomats.

    Communications may be possible if we are very patient
    and have long time attention.
    --- Synchronet 3.21b-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Stephen Harding@smharding@verizon.net to alt.astronomy,rec.aviation.military on Thu Feb 19 16:38:22 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.astronomy

    On 2/19/26 2:38 PM, a425couple wrote:
    On 2/18/26 12:49, casagiannoni@optonline.net wrote:
    Never !

    Interstellar distances are so great, as to preclude any chance of
    travel or practical comunication.

    Do the simple math :-a Time = Distance / Speed

    This is why, although intelligent space faring species likely abound
    throughout the universe, we are never visited by any.

    I mostly agree about the travel.
    As we understand the scientific rules, no human will
    travel to another 'alien' civilization.
    But, if we try, and continue to make progress,
    we might indeed communicate with 'alien' life.

    There is no reason why we can not in the future
    (as our capabilities increase) create
    "artificial intelligence" controlled computers
    on space ships to go out as explorers, investigators,
    and diplomats.

    Communications may be possible if we are very patient
    and have long time attention.

    I recall reading "somewhere" that space travel in the future (very,
    very, very* future) won't involve actually traveling gazillions of light
    years away but instead, "punching through" the space-time fabric as a
    sort of short cut. I suppose it would be like a great circle route on a
    globe is shorter than the apparent straight line route or as we think of
    SciFi wormholes and such.

    But without that sort of mechanism, there is no way we'll see other life forms, let alone intelligent ones. As far as we know, even with
    exoplanet systems that we have now found, the odds are scarce that a
    planet will have the requirements for life (as we know it) let alone the
    roll of the dice evolutionary process to produce intelligence.

    That's a primary reason I don't believe in UFOs and extraterrestrial incidents. Some weird stuff no doubt, but explainable at some point,
    now or in the future with more knowledge.

    --- Synchronet 3.21b-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Thomas 'PointedEars' Lahn@PointedEars@web.de to alt.astronomy,rec.aviation.military on Fri Feb 20 00:14:15 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.astronomy

    a425couple wrote:
    On 2/18/26 12:49, casagiannoni@optonline.net wrote:
    Interstellar distances are so great, as to preclude any chance of
    travel or practical comunication.

    Do the simple math : Time = Distance / Speed

    This is why, although intelligent space faring species likely abound
    throughout the universe, we are never visited by any.

    I mostly agree about the travel.

    As we understand the scientific rules, no human will
    travel to another 'alien' civilization.

    But, like the OP, you do not understand "the scientific rules" to begin
    with. There is more science than you (can) learn in highschool (in the USA).

    But, if we try, and continue to make progress,
    we might indeed communicate with 'alien' life.

    True.

    There is no reason why we can not in the future
    (as our capabilities increase) create
    "artificial intelligence" controlled computers
    on space ships to go out as explorers, investigators,
    and diplomats.

    Also true.

    Communications may be possible if we are very patient
    and have long time attention.

    Correct.

    F'up2 sci.physics.relativity, where it actually belongs.
    --
    PointedEars

    Twitter: @PointedEars2
    Please do not cc me. / Bitte keine Kopien per E-Mail.
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  • From Jim Wilkins@muratlanne@gmail.com to alt.astronomy,rec.aviation.military on Thu Feb 19 22:08:36 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.astronomy

    "Stephen Harding" wrote in message news:10n7vse$3s5nk$1@dont-email.me...

    I recall reading "somewhere" that space travel in the future (very,
    very, very* future) won't involve actually traveling gazillions of light
    years away but instead, "punching through" the space-time fabric as a
    sort of short cut. I suppose it would be like a great circle route on a
    globe is shorter than the apparent straight line route or as we think of
    SciFi wormholes and such.

    -------------------------------------------
    An example is a crumpled map. Increasing the dimensions by one, 2 to 3,
    allows different areas on the map to touch.

    My guess is that we need to move out of the Sun's gravity well to make measurements and discoveries that will expand our knowledge of Physics. Our current theories fail to explain the structure of galaxies and we can't reconcile Quantum Mechanics with Relativity.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_matter

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Problem_of_time

    Atomic weights didn't make sense until Neutrons were discovered, as recently as 1932.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discovery_of_the_neutron
    "At the start of the 20th century, the vigorous debate as to the existence
    of atoms had not yet been resolved."

    Physics and Chemistry advance when someone finally makes the critical measurement that disproves the old system, like Galileo supposedly dropping weights off the Leaning Tower of Pisa to disprove Aristotle and allow
    science to break free from his stifling errors. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galileo%27s_Leaning_Tower_of_Pisa_experiment

    "Astronaut David Scott performed a version of the experiment on the Moon during the Apollo 15 mission in 1971, dropping a feather and a hammer from
    his hands. Because of the negligible lunar atmosphere, there was no drag on the feather, which reached the lunar surface at the same time as the
    hammer."

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  • From Jim Wilkins@muratlanne@gmail.com to alt.astronomy,rec.aviation.military on Thu Feb 19 22:34:56 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.astronomy

    "Jim Wilkins" wrote in message news:10n8j6j$2icn$1@dont-email.me...

    Physics and Chemistry advance when someone finally makes the critical >measurement that disproves the old system, ...

    Then hopefully one of the theoreticians' cloud castles will be a better fit. The convincing evidence is if the new theory makes testable predictions of
    new phenomena that experiments verify. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddington_experiment

    --- Synchronet 3.21b-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Thomas 'PointedEars' Lahn@PointedEars@web.de to alt.astronomy,rec.aviation.military on Fri Feb 20 05:16:35 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.astronomy

    Stephen Harding wrote:
    I recall reading "somewhere"

    "The Science of 'Interstellar'"? 8-)

    that space travel in the future (very, very, very* future) won't involve actually traveling gazillions of light years away but instead, "punching through" the space-time fabric as a sort of short cut.

    _Spacetime_ is not a fabric, but a way to assign coordinates to events.

    You mean a wormhole, an additional path between events that is spatially shorter than the one along the spacetime manifold.

    I suppose it would be like a great circle route on a
    globe is shorter than the apparent straight line route

    It is the other way around, of course. With a positively curved spatial manifold, the Euclidean (straight-line) distance between points on it is the shortest. This can be seen by considering the corresponding metrics.

    Euclidean metric:

    ds^2 = dx^2 + dy^2 + dz^2.

    Spherical coordinates:

    x = r sin(theta) cos(phi)
    y = r sin(theta) sin(phi)
    z = r cos(theta)



    dx = dr sin(theta) cos(phi)
    + r cos(theta) (d theta) cos(phi)
    - r sin(theta) sin(phi) (d phi)

    dy = dr sin(theta) sin(phi)
    + r cos(theta) (d theta) sin(phi)
    + r sin(theta) cos(phi) (d phi)

    dz = dr cos(theta) - r sin(theta) (d theta)



    ds^2 = dr^2 + r^2 (d theta)^2 + r^2 sin^2(theta) (d phi)^2.

    A path P along the equator, dr = 0, theta = pi/2 ==> (d theta) = 0:

    ds = r (d phi) ==> s = int_P ds = r int_0^phi d phi' = r (Delta phi).

    [Due to the spherical symmetry, we can rotate the coordinate system
    such that any geodesic lies on the equator.]

    Suppose, for example, the first point on a sphere with radius r has coordinates

    (r, theta = pi/2, phi = 0) <--> (x = r, y = 0, z = 0),

    and the second point has coordinates

    (r, theta = pi/2, phi = pi/2) <--> (x = 0, y = r, z = 0)

    then the Euclidean distance between them is

    s_2 = sqrt[(0 - r)^2 + (r - 0)^2 + (0 - 0)^2]
    = sqrt(2 r^2)
    = r sqrt(2) =~ r * 1.41

    but the geodesic distance (along the equator) is

    s = r (pi/2 - 0) = r pi/2 =~ r * 1.57 > s.

    You are maybe confusing this with the *apparent* straight-line path if the curved surface is being projected on a flat surface.

    or as we think of SciFi wormholes and such.

    But without that sort of mechanism, there is no way we'll see other life forms,

    Not true. We might see lifeforms on Mars, and possibly Europa and Enceladus (there are oceans under the frozen surfaces of those moons).

    let alone intelligent ones.

    There are intelligent lifeforms on Earth, not counting humans :-p

    As far as we know, even with exoplanet systems that we have now found,
    the odds are scarce that a planet will have the requirements for life
    (as we know it) let alone the roll of the dice evolutionary process
    to produce intelligence.

    Humans know too little about the conditions for life to make even educated guesses. Currently they are in a position similar to that of person who
    knows a hammer as the only tool.

    That's a primary reason I don't believe in UFOs and extraterrestrial incidents. Some weird stuff no doubt, but explainable at some point,
    now or in the future with more knowledge.

    There are much better reasons for not believing that UFOs are of extra-terrestrial origin.
    --
    PointedEars

    Twitter: @PointedEars2
    Please do not cc me. / Bitte keine Kopien per E-Mail.
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  • From Thomas 'PointedEars' Lahn@PointedEars@web.de to alt.astronomy,rec.aviation.military on Fri Feb 20 05:22:51 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.astronomy

    Jim Wilkins wrote:
    Physics and Chemistry advance when someone finally makes the critical measurement that disproves the old system, like Galileo supposedly dropping weights off the Leaning Tower of Pisa to disprove Aristotle and allow science to break free from his stifling errors. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galileo%27s_Leaning_Tower_of_Pisa_experiment

    Read this carefully. The story about such an experiment by Galilei is based
    on a posthumous account by Galilei's assistant, and probably never happened;
    it is reaonsable to assume that Galilei disproved Aristotelian physics by rolling solid objects down inclined planes, and finding them to arrive at
    the same time despite different masses/weights instead.
    --
    PointedEars

    Twitter: @PointedEars2
    Please do not cc me. / Bitte keine Kopien per E-Mail.
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  • From Thomas 'PointedEars' Lahn@PointedEars@web.de to alt.astronomy,rec.aviation.military on Fri Feb 20 05:40:26 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.astronomy

    Jim Wilkins wrote:
    "Jim Wilkins" wrote in message news:10n8j6j$2icn$1@dont-email.me...
    Physics and Chemistry advance when someone finally makes the critical
    measurement that disproves the old system, ...

    Then hopefully one of the theoreticians' cloud castles will be a better fit. The convincing evidence is if the new theory makes testable predictions of new phenomena that experiments verify. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddington_experiment

    A common misconception.

    Experiments/observations _falsify_ or _confirm_ a natural-scientific theory, they do NOT verify it. Because such a theory is always only a model, not
    the truth:

    The more independently obtained experimental/observational evidence that confirms a theory, the closer that theory is considered to be a solid foundation and a scientific truth. But that does not preclude the theory
    from being falsified by another experiment.

    Neil deGrasse Tyson even argues that this realization is why since the 20th century new theories are not presented as or considered "laws" anymore:

    StarTrel: Why Science Doesn't Make Laws Anymore <https://youtu.be/EVJdwD7coQ4?si=PrR6CVWZE2VDF_6o>

    [His argument contains a semantic fallacy, though, because those laws were never considered laws as in jurisprudence, but in the sense of regularities
    of Nature, "laws" that *Nature* would obey; so humans "breaking" them, and
    not calling them "laws" anymore because "laws are something that you don't break" is certainly NOT the reason. That physical laws would be laws as in jurisprudence is yet another common misconception that, unfortunately, he is helping to spread there.]
    --
    PointedEars

    Twitter: @PointedEars2
    Please do not cc me. / Bitte keine Kopien per E-Mail.
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  • From Thomas 'PointedEars' Lahn@PointedEars@web.de to alt.astronomy on Fri Feb 20 13:08:36 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.astronomy

    Thomas 'PointedEars' Lahn wrote:
    Jim Wilkins wrote:
    "Jim Wilkins" wrote in message news:10n8j6j$2icn$1@dont-email.me...
    Physics and Chemistry advance when someone finally makes the critical
    measurement that disproves the old system, ...

    Then hopefully one of the theoreticians' cloud castles will be a better fit.
    The convincing evidence is if the new theory makes testable predictions of >> new phenomena that experiments verify.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddington_experiment

    A common misconception.

    Experiments/observations _falsify_ or _confirm_ a natural-scientific theory, they do NOT verify it.

    You stated that *testable predictions* are verified (not theories), which is also what deGrasse Tyson said. I checked the meaning of that again: "to verify", although based on "veritas", Latin for "truth", can also mean "to check (up)", and thus "to confirm or falsify" which is conceptually correct;
    in that sense I agree with you (and deGrasse Tyson) as what I stated below means the same.

    <https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/verify>

    Because such a theory is always only a model, not the truth:

    The more independently obtained experimental/observational evidence that confirms a theory, the closer that theory is considered to be a solid foundation and a scientific truth. But that does not preclude the theory from being falsified by another experiment.

    Neil deGrasse Tyson even argues that this realization is why since the 20th century new theories are not presented as or considered "laws" anymore:

    StarTrel: Why Science Doesn't Make Laws Anymore

    Haha, Freudian typo: I was probably to write "Star Trek" because I had
    written it so often before; but here it is "StarTalk", of course :-D

    <https://youtu.be/EVJdwD7coQ4?si=PrR6CVWZE2VDF_6o>

    [His argument contains a semantic fallacy, though, because those laws were never considered laws as in jurisprudence, but in the sense of regularities of Nature, "laws" that *Nature* would obey; so humans "breaking" them, and not calling them "laws" anymore because "laws are something that you don't break" is certainly NOT the reason. That physical laws would be laws as in jurisprudence is yet another common misconception that, unfortunately, he is helping to spread there.]

    I think it is important to point out the above, though, so my comment was
    not without value.
    --
    PointedEars

    Twitter: @PointedEars2
    Please do not cc me. / Bitte keine Kopien per E-Mail.
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  • From Jim Wilkins@muratlanne@gmail.com to alt.astronomy,rec.aviation.military on Fri Feb 20 10:32:29 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.astronomy

    "Thomas 'PointedEars' Lahn" wrote in message news:10n8ojr$2ttq$1@gwaiyur.mb-net.net...

    Jim Wilkins wrote:
    "Jim Wilkins" wrote in message news:10n8j6j$2icn$1@dont-email.me...
    Physics and Chemistry advance when someone finally makes the critical
    measurement that disproves the old system, ...

    Then hopefully one of the theoreticians' cloud castles will be a better
    fit.
    The convincing evidence is if the new theory makes testable predictions of new phenomena that experiments verify. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddington_experiment

    A common misconception.

    Experiments/observations _falsify_ or _confirm_ a natural-scientific theory, they do NOT verify it. Because such a theory is always only a model, not
    the truth:

    The more independently obtained experimental/observational evidence that confirms a theory, the closer that theory is considered to be a solid foundation and a scientific truth. But that does not preclude the theory
    from being falsified by another experiment.

    --------------------------

    It -should- have been clear to you from context that I did not equate verifying a theory by experiment to declaring it a universal truth.

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  • From Thomas 'PointedEars' Lahn@PointedEars@web.de to alt.astronomy,rec.aviation.military on Sat Feb 21 16:36:02 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.astronomy

    Jim Wilkins amok-crossposted to alt.astronomy, rec.aviation.military:

    Thomas 'PointedEars' Lahn wrote:
    Jim Wilkins wrote:
    "Jim Wilkins" wrote in message news:10n8j6j$2icn$1@dont-email.me...
    Physics and Chemistry advance when someone finally makes the critical
    measurement that disproves the old system, ...

    Then hopefully one of the theoreticians' cloud castles will be a better >>> fit.
    The convincing evidence is if the new theory makes testable predictions
    of new phenomena that experiments verify.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddington_experiment

    A common misconception.

    Experiments/observations _falsify_ or _confirm_ a natural-scientific
    theory, they do NOT verify it. Because such a theory is always only
    a model, not the truth:

    The more independently obtained experimental/observational evidence that
    confirms a theory, the closer that theory is considered to be a solid
    foundation and a scientific truth. But that does not preclude the theory
    from being falsified by another experiment.

    It -should- have been clear to you from context that I did not equate verifying a theory by experiment to declaring it a universal truth.

    It should have been clear to you that I clarified my comment
    *more than 3 hours* before you posted this:

    <mid:10n9is5$81bc$1@gwaiyur.mb-net.net>
    <news:10n9is5$81bc$1@gwaiyur.mb-net.net>

    Also, please learn how to post, including to quote, properly:

    <https://www.netmeister.org/news/learn2quote.html>

    Using a proper newsreader application can help there:

    <https://www.thunderbird.net/>

    F'up2 poster
    --
    PointedEars

    Twitter: @PointedEars2
    Please do not cc me. / Bitte keine Kopien per E-Mail.
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  • From Mr. Man-wai Chang@toylet.toylet@gmail.com to alt.astronomy on Tue Feb 24 20:02:55 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.astronomy


    Assumed that no science nor technology can travel faster than light, or
    maybe to fold or warp, or teleport. Yes, those maybe fairy tales. :)

    On 2/19/2026 4:49 AM, casagiannoni@optonline.net wrote:
    Never !

    Interstellar distances are so great, as to preclude any chance of
    travel or practical comunication.

    Do the simple math : Time = Distance / Speed

    This is why, although intelligent space faring species likely abound throughout the universe, we are never visited by any.
    --
    @~@ Simplicity is Beauty! Remain silent! Drink, Blink, Stretch!
    / v \ May the Force and farces be with you! Live long and prosper!!
    /( _ )\ https://sites.google.com/site/changmw/
    ^ ^ https://github.com/changmw/changmw
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  • From Steve Silverwood [KB6OJS]@steve.silverwood@gmail.com to alt.astronomy on Sat Mar 28 13:16:32 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.astronomy

    On Wed, 18 Feb 2026 15:49:47 -0500, casagiannoni@optonline.net wrote:

    This is why, although intelligent space faring species likely abound >throughout the universe, we are never visited by any.

    I'm not surprised. Even though I do believe interplanetary (and
    beyond) travel is possible, I can just imagine another species
    watching our news broadcasts and deciding that the people of Earth are
    too wacky to bother with. IMHO, THAT is why we haven't been openly
    contacted by another species. And I don't blame them a bit....
    --
    //Steve//
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  • From Daniel@me@sc1f1dan.com to alt.astronomy on Thu Apr 2 09:58:33 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.astronomy

    "Steve Silverwood [KB6OJS]" <steve.silverwood@gmail.com> writes:

    On Wed, 18 Feb 2026 15:49:47 -0500, casagiannoni@optonline.net wrote:

    This is why, although intelligent space faring species likely abound >>throughout the universe, we are never visited by any.

    I'm not surprised. Even though I do believe interplanetary (and
    beyond) travel is possible, I can just imagine another species
    watching our news broadcasts and deciding that the people of Earth are
    too wacky to bother with. IMHO, THAT is why we haven't been openly
    contacted by another species. And I don't blame them a bit....

    Interplanetary travel is possible. We do it all the time. Got probes on
    Mars. Sent some to Venus. We even sent a probe to Titan. One visited
    Pluto a few years back. We have effectively visited every planet in
    the solar system and a variety of minor planets. We've even had return
    samples brought back from asteroids.

    Interstallar travel is something we started doing in the 70s, albeit inadvertently. It wasn't the original intention that the Voyager
    spacecraft last as long as they have, but alas, they reached
    interstellar space a some years ago. Neither spacecraft are going to any particular star.

    Personal Opinion Zone

    The universe isn't teeming with life just yet. Our universe is still
    quite young. The picture will be different 20-30 billion years from
    now.

    Daniel
    sysop | air & wave bbs
    finger | calcmandan@bbs.erb.pw
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  • From Steve Silverwood [KB6OJS]@steve.silverwood@gmail.com to alt.astronomy on Fri Apr 17 14:04:51 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.astronomy

    On Thu, 02 Apr 2026 09:58:33 -0700, Daniel <me@sc1f1dan.com> wrote:

    "Steve Silverwood [KB6OJS]" <steve.silverwood@gmail.com> writes:

    On Wed, 18 Feb 2026 15:49:47 -0500, casagiannoni@optonline.net wrote:

    This is why, although intelligent space faring species likely abound >>>throughout the universe, we are never visited by any.

    I'm not surprised. Even though I do believe interplanetary (and
    beyond) travel is possible, I can just imagine another species
    watching our news broadcasts and deciding that the people of Earth are
    too wacky to bother with. IMHO, THAT is why we haven't been openly
    contacted by another species. And I don't blame them a bit....

    Interplanetary travel is possible. We do it all the time. Got probes on
    Mars. Sent some to Venus. We even sent a probe to Titan. One visited
    Pluto a few years back. We have effectively visited every planet in
    the solar system and a variety of minor planets. We've even had return >samples brought back from asteroids.

    Interstallar travel is something we started doing in the 70s, albeit >inadvertently. It wasn't the original intention that the Voyager
    spacecraft last as long as they have, but alas, they reached
    interstellar space a some years ago. Neither spacecraft are going to any >particular star.

    Well, =remote= interplanetary travel is possible, and yes, we've been
    doing it for decades that way, but travel =in person= is another thing entirely. It takes months to years to get anywhere past the Moon in
    this solar system, which robotic probes can handle without even
    breathing hard (so to speak), but getting PEOPLE there, well, then we
    involve a whole lot of other factors which we haven't beat just quite
    yet. If we had, we'd be doing it in person by now and not by remote
    control. I hope I live long enough to see the first permanent
    settlement on the Moon, and the first manned Mars landing. At 68,
    I'll settle for that.

    Personal Opinion Zone

    The universe isn't teeming with life just yet. Our universe is still
    quite young. The picture will be different 20-30 billion years from
    now.

    I'm glad that's a personal opinion. I'm still hopeful for a peaceful
    First Contact before I die.
    --
    //Steve//
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  • From Daniel@me@sc1f1dan.com to alt.astronomy on Sun Apr 19 02:52:51 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.astronomy

    "Steve Silverwood [KB6OJS]" <steve.silverwood@gmail.com> writes:

    On Thu, 02 Apr 2026 09:58:33 -0700, Daniel <me@sc1f1dan.com> wrote:

    "Steve Silverwood [KB6OJS]" <steve.silverwood@gmail.com> writes:

    On Wed, 18 Feb 2026 15:49:47 -0500, casagiannoni@optonline.net wrote:

    This is why, although intelligent space faring species likely abound >>>>throughout the universe, we are never visited by any.

    I'm not surprised. Even though I do believe interplanetary (and
    beyond) travel is possible, I can just imagine another species
    watching our news broadcasts and deciding that the people of Earth are
    too wacky to bother with. IMHO, THAT is why we haven't been openly
    contacted by another species. And I don't blame them a bit....

    Interplanetary travel is possible. We do it all the time. Got probes on >>Mars. Sent some to Venus. We even sent a probe to Titan. One visited
    Pluto a few years back. We have effectively visited every planet in
    the solar system and a variety of minor planets. We've even had return >>samples brought back from asteroids.

    Interstallar travel is something we started doing in the 70s, albeit >>inadvertently. It wasn't the original intention that the Voyager
    spacecraft last as long as they have, but alas, they reached
    interstellar space a some years ago. Neither spacecraft are going to any >>particular star.

    Well, =remote= interplanetary travel is possible, and yes, we've been
    doing it for decades that way, but travel =in person= is another thing entirely. It takes months to years to get anywhere past the Moon in
    this solar system, which robotic probes can handle without even
    breathing hard (so to speak), but getting PEOPLE there, well, then we
    involve a whole lot of other factors which we haven't beat just quite
    yet. If we had, we'd be doing it in person by now and not by remote
    control. I hope I live long enough to see the first permanent
    settlement on the Moon, and the first manned Mars landing. At 68,
    I'll settle for that.

    Personal Opinion Zone

    The universe isn't teeming with life just yet. Our universe is still
    quite young. The picture will be different 20-30 billion years from
    now.

    I'm glad that's a personal opinion. I'm still hopeful for a peaceful
    First Contact before I die.

    How do you think that would play out? Simple curiousity.
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  • From Steve Silverwood [KB6OJS]@steve.silverwood@gmail.com to alt.astronomy on Thu Apr 23 16:22:48 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.astronomy

    On Sun, 19 Apr 2026 02:52:51 -0700, Daniel <me@sc1f1dan.com> wrote:

    I'm glad that's a personal opinion. I'm still hopeful for a peaceful
    First Contact before I die.

    How do you think that would play out? Simple curiousity.

    I honestly don't know. I know how I would LIKE for it to play out: no
    insanity like in Independence Day; no paranoia like in most of the
    other Hollywood movies; maybe like in "Star Trek: First Contact"
    movie?
    --
    //Steve//
    --- Synchronet 3.21f-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Daniel@me@sc1f1dan.com to alt.astronomy on Sun Apr 26 02:47:18 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.astronomy

    "Steve Silverwood [KB6OJS]" <steve.silverwood@gmail.com> writes:

    On Sun, 19 Apr 2026 02:52:51 -0700, Daniel <me@sc1f1dan.com> wrote:

    I'm glad that's a personal opinion. I'm still hopeful for a peaceful
    First Contact before I die.

    How do you think that would play out? Simple curiousity.

    I honestly don't know. I know how I would LIKE for it to play out: no insanity like in Independence Day; no paranoia like in most of the
    other Hollywood movies; maybe like in "Star Trek: First Contact"
    movie?

    I wouldn't want that to happen during my life.

    I really hope to witness the supernova of Betelgeuse. I don't even
    care if it leaves behind a remnant. Also, to have its nebula in the night
    sky would be a delight. Imagine a permanent change to the Orion
    constellation. But, it's doubtful that'll happen any time soon, hella
    bummer.

    --
    daniel
    sysop | air & wave bbs
    finger | calcmandan@bbs.erb.pw
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  • From Thomas 'PointedEars' Lahn@PointedEars@web.de to alt.astronomy on Sun Apr 26 19:30:50 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.astronomy

    Daniel wrote:
    "Steve Silverwood [KB6OJS]" <steve.silverwood@gmail.com> writes:
    On Sun, 19 Apr 2026 02:52:51 -0700, Daniel <me@sc1f1dan.com> wrote:
    I'm glad that's a personal opinion. I'm still hopeful for a peaceful
    First Contact before I die.
    How do you think that would play out? Simple curiousity.
    I honestly don't know. I know how I would LIKE for it to play out: no
    insanity like in Independence Day; no paranoia like in most of the
    other Hollywood movies; maybe like in "Star Trek: First Contact"
    movie?

    I wouldn't want that to happen during my life.

    I really hope to witness the supernova of Betelgeuse. I don't even
    care if it leaves behind a remnant. Also, to have its nebula in the night
    sky would be a delight. Imagine a permanent change to the Orion constellation. But, it's doubtful that'll happen any time soon, hella
    bummer.
    WTF are you talking about now? The question was about first contact. First you said that you were hopeful for a peaceful first contact before you die.
    Now you are saying that you wouldn't want that to happen during your life?

    And WTF does that have to do with Betelgeuse?
    --
    PointedEars

    Twitter: @PointedEars2
    Please do not cc me. / Bitte keine Kopien per E-Mail.
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  • From Daniel@me@sc1f1dan.com to alt.astronomy on Mon Apr 27 17:06:40 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.astronomy

    Thomas 'PointedEars' Lahn <PointedEars@web.de> writes:

    Daniel wrote:
    "Steve Silverwood [KB6OJS]" <steve.silverwood@gmail.com> writes:
    On Sun, 19 Apr 2026 02:52:51 -0700, Daniel <me@sc1f1dan.com> wrote:
    I'm glad that's a personal opinion. I'm still hopeful for a peaceful >>>>> First Contact before I die.
    How do you think that would play out? Simple curiousity.
    I honestly don't know. I know how I would LIKE for it to play out: no
    insanity like in Independence Day; no paranoia like in most of the
    other Hollywood movies; maybe like in "Star Trek: First Contact"
    movie?

    I wouldn't want that to happen during my life.

    I really hope to witness the supernova of Betelgeuse. I don't even
    care if it leaves behind a remnant. Also, to have its nebula in the night
    sky would be a delight. Imagine a permanent change to the Orion
    constellation. But, it's doubtful that'll happen any time soon, hella
    bummer.
    WTF are you talking about now? The question was about first contact. First you said that you were hopeful for a peaceful first contact before you die. Now you are saying that you wouldn't want that to happen during your life?

    The concept of alien contact doesn't cross my mind these days. Back
    in my youth, though, afternoon broadcasts of Star Trek: The Original
    Series were the stuff of dreams. The original appeal of the show was an idealized vision of humanity's future - familiarity with alien
    species and advanced life scattered throughout space. It was completely different than anything offered on TV at the time. This was before
    TNG. Participation in SETI@home back in the late nineties to early two-thousands fit right into my mindset. That was then, right.

    The earlier answer was an impulse post - coming from that younger mindset,
    the far end of the naive scale. Yeah, a bit embarrassing in hindsight.

    After some time to think on it (over cigars and tea), the stance
    shifted. The specifics on why aren't worth revealing. In short, I
    should have reflected on the question before my initial response.

    My opinion changed.

    And WTF does that have to do with Betelgeuse?

    I started thinking of things that are plausible to see in a lifetime. A supernova of Betelgeuse ended up at the top of the list for
    'other-worldly' things worth witnessing.

    --
    Daniel
    sysop | air & wave bbs
    finger | calcmandan@bbs.erb.pw
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