Telescopes 'worthless' by 2050

Permabanned
Joined
30 Sep 2005
Posts
25,896
Location
Wigan
It would be sad but its near impossible to see stars at night now from the light pollution from towns and cities. I can see a couple of stars at night with the naked eye.
 
Don
Joined
7 Aug 2003
Posts
44,276
Location
Aberdeenshire
Some amazing shots of the con-trails from space there. This will just hasten the building of orbital arrays which should allow us to direct view planets round other stars.

Jokester
 
Associate
Joined
14 Jul 2004
Posts
1,778
Location
England
the article assumes there will be enough oil left to sustain the growth of cheap air travel... seeing as how we are near or have passes peak oil, i doubt that will come to pass.
 
Associate
Joined
2 Mar 2006
Posts
754
Location
Birmingham, England
I would hate not to be able to see the stars. I know it's hard to see them now, but if you're out in the country the sky really is beautiful :). It'd be a shame for us and future generations.

Though i doubt it'll get that bad we wont be able to see any.
 
Associate
Joined
8 Jul 2005
Posts
1,575
It was interesting that they noticed the difference in temperature on Sept 12 when all air traffic was closed down post 9/11.

I would hope that by 2050 we would have massive telescopes build on the moon,
 
Soldato
Joined
2 Aug 2004
Posts
4,288
Location
The moon
By then all the imagery worth having will be taken from space itself surely? Not that its the answer, theres clearly more important consequences beyond this...
 
Soldato
Joined
11 May 2004
Posts
4,790
Location
Gloucester
Best place for a space telescope or array of optical and radio telescopes, is the dark side of the moon. It's in the shadow of both the earth and the sun all the time, so no light polution and none of the constant stream of radiowaves we chuck out.
 
Soldato
Joined
9 Dec 2003
Posts
6,204
Location
Gone......
Moredhel said:
Best place for a space telescope or array of optical and radio telescopes, is the dark side of the moon. It's in the shadow of both the earth and the sun all the time, so no light polution and none of the constant stream of radiowaves we chuck out.


Not quite true. There is no such thing as "the dark side of the moon". It's just that one side is always facing away from Earth. As the moon revolves around the earth and comes between us and the sun, the side facing us becomes "the dark side" and the back side is full on facing the moon.

The only time the back side is dark is when we are between the moon and the sun.
 
Soldato
Joined
11 May 2004
Posts
4,790
Location
Gloucester
I always thought it was in the L5 point, always in the same point in regards to the sun and the earth, however, as soon as I stopped to think about it, that would mean solar eclipses and lunar eclipses would be impossible, and that the moon is millions of miles away instead of a few hundred thousand. It IS always sheilded from earth though, so the radio telescope thing is valid at least. :)
 
Back
Top Bottom