Why Explore Ancient Space???

[gutharius]

Facts:
- Speed of light in miles per second: 186,282 mps (miles per second)

- Distance to nearest galaxy like system: 169,000 Light Years

Given that light is like a transmitted image being sent out into space that is picked up by our telescopes here on Earth. Why is it that we are currently, right now, even making an effort to study images that were created and sent out into space 169,000 years ago? I mean what is the point? For all we know this galaxy died out 69,000 years ago and we will have to wait 69,000 years before the light created by such and event, or lack there of, will reach earth and is visible to us. This is why I think space exploration outside our own solar system at our current technological ability is pointless. The data you get is data that is irrelevant to the present because it is so old. Especially in the sense of searching for extraterstrial life. Say tomorrow our telescopes see a solar system 300,000 light years away that shows definiate signs of life, just hypothetically speaking here. That meas that 300,000 years ago there was a planet that had signs of intelligent life. Great but hardly useful since for all we know they blew themselves up 100,000 years ago and we still have yet to see that this has occured as the images of light from such an event, if any light at all, will not arrive here on earth for another 100,000 years.

I don't know it just seems so pointless to divert precious monies into exploring parts of space we will never be able to reap any direct benefit from. Instead of working on moving out from our own planet in to the surrounding space and learning more and more about the solar system we live in and CAN reap direct benefits from.

What say you?

Cliff Notes:
If I spent 30 minutes to write this you can spend 5 minutes reading it.

 

[MacBaine]

Why post on ATOT?

 

[loup garou]

Finiding concrete evidence of intelligent life outside our own planet, even if it "blew itself up 100,000 years ago," is worth it, IMO.

 

[Evadman]

If that took 30 minutes to write, you need to take a typing class.

And we do because we can, have to. When you understand that, you understand all.

 

[CrackRabbit]

Think of Astronomy charts as a road map for space as you will. Now road maps may become outdated, new roads may be built and old ones may be torn out. But the general map changes very little from year to year. Humans will travel among the galaxy evenutaly (though probably not soon). And an outdated map is better than no map at all.

 

[OulOat]

Originally posted by: gutharius
Facts:
- Speed of light in miles per second: 186,282 mps (miles per second)

- Distance to nearest galaxy like system: 169,000 Light Years

Given that light is like a transmitted image being sent out into space that is picked up by our telescopes here on Earth. Why is it that we are currently, right now, even making an effort to study images that were created and sent out into space 169,000 years ago? I mean what is the point? For all we know this galaxy died out 69,000 years ago and we will have to wait 69,000 years before the light created by such and event, or lack there of, will reach earth and is visible to us. This is why I think space exploration outside our own solar system at our current technological ability is pointless. The data you get is data that is irrelevant to the present because it is so old. Especially in the sense of searching for extraterstrial life. Say tomorrow our telescopes see a solar system 300,000 light years away that shows definiate signs of life, just hypothetically speaking here. That meas that 300,000 years ago there was a planet that had signs of intelligent life. Great but hardly useful since for all we know they blew themselves up 100,000 years ago and we still have yet to see that this has occured as the images of light from such an event, if any light at all, will not arrive here on earth for another 100,000 years.

I don't know it just seems so pointless to divert precious monies into exploring parts of space we will never be able to reap any direct benefit from. Instead of working on moving out from our own planet in to the surrounding space and learning more and more about the solar system we live in and CAN reap direct benefits from.

What say you?

Cliff Notes:
If I spent 30 minutes to write this you can spend 5 minutes reading it.

So basically what you are trying to say is that Columbus and Magellan should have stayed home...

 

[gutharius]

Originally posted by: werk
Finiding concrete evidence of intelligent life outside our own planet, even if it "blew itself up 100,000 years ago," is worth it, IMO.

You must be a very lonely person to need that kind of validation that we as a species are not alone.

 

[coolVariable]

Please why did you post?

 

[everman]

500 years ago people may have said the same thing about exploring other continents. "It's too far away. It's practically impossible to get there. Nothing that far away could possibly have any impact on our lives."

 

[OOBradm]

Simply - the quest for knowledge and understanding.

If humans as a whole didnt possess this one single attribute, we'd still be swinging clubs

 

[preslove]

We do it because we are compelled to.

 

[gutharius]

Originally posted by: Evadman
If that took 30 minutes to write, you need to take a typing class.

And we do because we can, have to. When you understand that, you understand all.

It took 30 minutes to write not because I am a slow typist but rather because I like to make sure my writing is concise and readable. (Unlike someeone who starts a sentance with "and".) I like to edit my writing as a courtesy to others so they do not have to straing to understand or interpret what I wrote without having to guess at what I meant to say. I took a typing class and aced it. Thanks!

 

[MX2]

I say we should be spending more time exploring the deepest parts of our oceans for clues

 

[UNCjigga]

Because a long time ago, in a galaxy far far away...

 

[gutharius]

Originally posted by: OulOat

Originally posted by: gutharius
Facts:
- Speed of light in miles per second: 186,282 mps (miles per second)

- Distance to nearest galaxy like system: 169,000 Light Years

Given that light is like a transmitted image being sent out into space that is picked up by our telescopes here on Earth. Why is it that we are currently, right now, even making an effort to study images that were created and sent out into space 169,000 years ago? I mean what is the point? For all we know this galaxy died out 69,000 years ago and we will have to wait 69,000 years before the light created by such and event, or lack there of, will reach earth and is visible to us. This is why I think space exploration outside our own solar system at our current technological ability is pointless. The data you get is data that is irrelevant to the present because it is so old. Especially in the sense of searching for extraterstrial life. Say tomorrow our telescopes see a solar system 300,000 light years away that shows definiate signs of life, just hypothetically speaking here. That meas that 300,000 years ago there was a planet that had signs of intelligent life. Great but hardly useful since for all we know they blew themselves up 100,000 years ago and we still have yet to see that this has occured as the images of light from such an event, if any light at all, will not arrive here on earth for another 100,000 years.

I don't know it just seems so pointless to divert precious monies into exploring parts of space we will never be able to reap any direct benefit from. Instead of working on moving out from our own planet in to the surrounding space and learning more and more about the solar system we live in and CAN reap direct benefits from.

What say you?

Cliff Notes:
If I spent 30 minutes to write this you can spend 5 minutes reading it.

So basically what you are trying to say is that Columbus and Magellan should have stayed home...

No because it didn't take Columbus 60,000 years to get to America and we know that in space you can't fall off the edge.

 

[everman]

Kinda off topic, but this thread reminded me of a really interesting read: http://www.crichton-official.c.../speeches_quote04.html
Read the entire speech if you do, I thought it was very interesting.

 

[gutharius]

Originally posted by: CrackRabbit
Think of Astronomy charts as a road map for space as you will. Now road maps may become outdated, new roads may be built and old ones may be torn out. But the general map changes very little from year to year. Humans will travel among the galaxy evenutaly (though probably not soon). And an outdated map is better than no map at all.

True yes, but still I really wish we would focus more here in our own solar system instead of wasting resources on looking furhter out to things that are of not direct benefit to mankind. Sure explore if you plan to be able to get there with in the next 3 generations or less but beyond that focus on building up here where we are.

 

[BannedTroll]

Are you retarded?

Simply; The past is the future and it may eventually answer the big question and many.

 

[gutharius]

Originally posted by: coolVariable
Please why did you post?

Let me ask you this where do you think i should have posted this? Highly technical? No because this does not involve anything highly technical. Stop being a post nazi and either contribute or quit wasting bandwidth and click somewhere else.

 

[pulse8]

It took you 30 minutes to write that?

 

[gutharius]

Originally posted by: BannedTroll
Are you retarded?

Simply; The past is the future and it may eventually answer the big question and many.

Which would be?

No I am not retarded, just ready for mankind to take root in the larger solar system.

You should show some respect for others tho...

 

[gutharius]

Originally posted by: pulse8
It took you 30 minutes to write that?

Read my previous post. It is meant to be a courtesy to you that I took so long to write it. Perhaps you would be willing to return the courtesy with some relevant commentary on the subject? Thank you.

 

[loup garou]

Originally posted by: gutharius

Originally posted by: CrackRabbit
Think of Astronomy charts as a road map for space as you will. Now road maps may become outdated, new roads may be built and old ones may be torn out. But the general map changes very little from year to year. Humans will travel among the galaxy evenutaly (though probably not soon). And an outdated map is better than no map at all.

True yes, but still I really wish we would focus more here in our own solar system instead of wasting resources on looking furhter out to things that are of not direct benefit to mankind. Sure explore if you plan to be able to get there with in the next 3 generations or less but beyond that focus on building up here where we are.

In order to establish a baseline for those around 3 generations from now to possibly to be able to travel to those regions of space, you have to begin observing it with what we have now. If you don't look now, when? By observing now, we may discover something (wormholes, etc) that may make future travel possible.

Ignoring that, the wealth of knowledge gained about the universe and how it works, expands, contracts, etc is well worth it.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for exploration of our solar system and what is near us, but I would never give up on deep space observation/exploration as well. We need more private industry involvement to get anywhere though.

 

[blahblah99]

People look into outer space because the further we can see, the longer the universe has been around, unless, light folds itself at the edges of the universe and redirects itself.

 

[shimsham]

soon the sun will swallow the earth, so we gotta get the fvck outta here. eventually the universe will expand so far that all heat and energy transfer will cease, so we gotta ditch this sh!thole universe.

i dont think we can figure out how to do that from our little speck here.

edit: for the worst sentence ive ever typed. i present the original for all to see, so that i may never make the same mistake again:

dont think figure out to do that all from our little speck here.