Posted on 09/05/2013 7:41:16 PM PDT by BenLurkin
The solar system is travelling through much stormier skies than we thought, and might even be about to pop out of the huge gas cloud we have been gliding through for at least 45,000 years. That's the implication of a multi-decade survey of the interstellar wind buffeting the solar system, which has revealed an unexpected change in the wind's direction.
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he fact that the wind is shifting over the span of mere decades means that the interior of the cloud is either unusually turbulent, or that the solar system is a mere 1000 or so years away from punching its way out.
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Since the 1970s, we've known that the solar system is moving through a cloud of interstellar gas about 30 light years across, out on the edge of the Milky Way galaxy. The sun's motion through the cloud creates an apparent wind of interstellar particles that slams into the heliosphere.
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"While there had been hints that something was changing in the environment of the sun, when we finally put all the historical data together it became clear that one can make a strong scientific statement that this change has actually occurred," says Frisch. What the change means is still up for debate. We could be nearing the cloud's edge, or we could still be in the thick of it, pushing our way through an interstellar storm.
"It's possible we're seeing a structure that is not necessarily an edge," says Robert Meier,... who helped make the original STP 72-1 measurements. "A change of direction of flow in a stream could mean you're near the bank, or that there's a rock in the middle of the stream or something like that. It's always harder to figure out what's going on when you're in the middle."
(Excerpt) Read more at newscientist.com ...
we are going to be eaten ...aliiiivvvve...
Idiot scientists blowing gases again.
What implications might this have for solar radiance variations, or Earth ecosphere changes?
None. We did it to ourselves dontcha know?
EXACTLY!
Heaven knows I am no scientist but I think there is kind of discernible impact on r.
Unless there is something lurking in the cloud which might come in proximity to our solar system.
Cat jumped on my lap as I was typing that. Should be:
Heaven knows I am no scientist but I think there is no discernible impact on Earth.
Unless there is something lurking in the cloud which might come in proximity to our solar system.
I wonder how dense this “cloud” we’re supposedly in is? If fairly dense, the skies might have a lot more stars once we get out of it.
I hope the new neighborhood has better schools...
Apparently only “dense” in comparison to other parts of space.
Raises issues for interstellar travel theories which entail sweeping in particles for fuel — but that is all speculative stuff anyway.
Cough Cough! This solar system has got to quit smoking!
You must speaking of the Bussard Ramjet. I wish that was feasible but some people more knowledgeable than myself were saying not possible.
http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/I/interstellar_ramjet.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bussard_ramjet
Your species might be vaporized, radiated out of existence or your tiny world might be suddenly ripped apart by a number of events...But the only ones who'll eat you alive will likely be from your own species, in your own neighborhood.
With disastrous results I’m guessing.
On the other hand — human intelligence seems to have plummeted during the last 50 years.
I blame it on “galactic warming”.
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