Assuming you could travel at the speed of light..

[2Xtreme21]

It is impossible to accelerate any particle of matter to c, so this question is moot. c is a mathematical asymptote shown in the lorentz equation (used to determine to what degree of time dilation / spacial contraction you'd experience):

lorentz factor = 1 / ( sqrt ( 1 - v^2 / c^2 ) )

You'd be dividing by 0 if your v = c. This also proves that you cannot reach a speed faster than c, since you'd then be taking the square root of a negative number.

 

[TXHokie]

Silly rabbit - cut your travel time by going thru the StarGate.

 

[pontifex]

you're all wrong.

you hire the spacing guild and they use the spice mutated navigators to navigate the ships safely through space.

the spice must flow.

 

[jdini76]

Originally posted by: LordMorpheus
At the speed of light you'd get there instantaneously, as far as you were concerned. You get spatial dialation as you approach c, when you are going at the speed of light the distance between you and the place you are going is zero.

To an outside observer, time stops for the people in the spacecraft.

At any rate, it's also theoretically impossible to go the speed of light. You'd need infinite energy.

for some reason i think you are wrong about instantly getting there.

 

[drinkmorejava]

Assuming you could go the speed of light, there still aren't a whole lot of places to go so you're still kind of SOL. You'd have to be able to travel multiple times the speed of light or use some wormhole stuff for it to be at all pointful.

 

[StevenYoo]

you slap on a huge cow plow

 

[angminas]

Originally posted by: Flyback
I would highly argue against going at the speed of light if you ever want to see your family again (relativistic change--ain't it a b!tch?)

No worries, just change the family to pure energy too.

 

[PeeluckyDuckee]

Husky premium 92 gasoline babee!!

Even at the speed of light it'll take you many earth years to reach that destination and during that "earth year" a lot of obstacles can run into your direct path.

 

[Atheus]

Originally posted by: Fritzo
If you were travelling at c, you would be pure energy and no longer matter, so you would not be tangible and objects would not harm you.

Really? Why would you be energy?

Matter affects light, why not other things traveling at c?

 

[Fox5]

Originally posted by: AMCRambler
wouldn't it have to be the speed of light squared in order for you to have turned to energy? Thinking of Einsteins theory of relativity here. E=MC^2

Notice that it's C^2, C is still constant and still the same speed.

The equation is just relating mass to rest energy anyhow, it has nothing to do with exceeding the speed of light. Not sure where the C^2 comes from, other than mass can be written in terms of electron volts per c^2 and the c^2's cancel out.

This also proves that you cannot reach a speed faster than c, since you'd then be taking the square root of a negative number.

I'd disagree that "proves" it since that's just a mathematical model that fits the data. You could just need a different equation once you pass the speed of light, though I believe there is experimental evidence as to why the speed of light is the upper limit.

 

[TheChort]

Originally posted by: 2Xtreme21
It is impossible to accelerate any particle of matter to c, so this question is moot. c is a mathematical asymptote shown in the lorentz equation (used to determine to what degree of time dilation / spacial contraction you'd experience):

lorentz factor = 1 / ( sqrt ( 1 - v^2 / c^2 ) )

You'd be dividing by 0 if your v = c. This also proves that you cannot reach a speed faster than c, since you'd then be taking the square root of a negative number.

while I'm not disagreeing with you, all this proves is our mathematical equations cannot describe what happens at the speed of light

 

[Bumrush99]

Originally posted by: LordMorpheus
At the speed of light you'd get there instantaneously, as far as you were concerned. You get spatial dialation as you approach c, when you are going at the speed of light the distance between you and the place you are going is zero.

To an outside observer, time stops for the people in the spacecraft.

At any rate, it's also theoretically impossible to go the speed of light. You'd need infinite energy.

So if to an outside observer time stops, and it takes you 100,000 light years to reach your destination, it is safe to assume that you would return back to your destination 200,000 years later. You may return home to a planet that can no longer sustain life... Now if you can't enter in to a capsule/deep sleep, and time has stopped for you, do the days feel the same? Does the 200,000 year voyage feel like it took you 200,000 years?