Questions tagged [stars]
For questions about luminous spheres of plasma held together by their own gravity, generally comprised primarily of hydrogen and helium.
413
questions
3
votes
3
answers
390
views
Creating a second earth: the problem with stars
(Continues along the premise of this question: Creating a second earth: How to make a continent?)
So, thanks to their helpful team of ask forum buddies, 😉 the terraformers designing New Earth have ...
- 5,771
0
votes
1
answer
87
views
Is it possible for a star to orbit a planet? [duplicate]
At first the answer seems simple, no, but the more I think about it the more it seems this might be possible.
For the sake of the question don’t think about the probability of this actually happening, ...
- 1,240
3
votes
1
answer
221
views
What would the stars look like near the centre of a galaxy?
In this sci-if scenario, angry aliens “evict” Earth and the sun from the galaxy using their clarkean wormhole technology, and sol ends up in a new region of space. Sol is now located near the core of ...
- 5,771
-3
votes
2
answers
87
views
what cosmic event could teleport a solar system? [closed]
In a project I am mulling over, humanity now inhabits the dense core region of a globular cluster. They did not colonise this cluster; some cosmic event actually teleported the sun, moon and earth (...
- 5,771
3
votes
2
answers
234
views
Could an object exist at the barycentre of two stars
Returning to the powerful clarkean civilisation in this question What compounds could be used to dye a gas giant the colour of a rainbow?
These same artistically inclined omnipotent beings have ...
- 5,771
2
votes
4
answers
174
views
What configuration should the worlds of a long lasting galactic empire take in the galaxy?
I have come across many galaxy maps showing the dominion/borders of one empire or another in different works of fiction. The first that comes to mind is WH40k for which the galaxy map of the different ...
- 568
8
votes
3
answers
660
views
How do I determine the habitable zone of a binary star system?
Suppose two stars orbit each other and the planets orbit around the two stars' barycenter. I'm thinking of having at least one as a main sequence G or K class. For the sake of argument, let the other ...
- 235
12
votes
6
answers
2k
views
Under what conditions could a gold planet form?
So, I am imagining a draconic alien species which, (don’t laugh) inhabit a planetary system that is particularly rich in heavy elements such as platinum, silver, and yes, gold. (I said don’t laugh!) ...
- 5,771
4
votes
4
answers
1k
views
Could sapient life evolve in 2 billion years?
I am imagining a race of beings called Loshp, who evolved on a planet orbiting an F-type star. These stars live for only 4 billion years tops before evolving into a red giant, and half that time was ...
- 5,771
7
votes
6
answers
2k
views
How can I figure out measurements/distances and hyperspace jump time in my universe that is simple enough for readers to understand?
I'm using an alternate version of the Milky Way as my setting. I need to know how far it is from one planet/area to another, and know how long it takes to jump via hyperspace -- Yes, I realize ...
- 1,416
3
votes
3
answers
309
views
Could merging brown dwarfs create a star? [closed]
So, let’s face it, brown dwarfs are dull. They’re too big for gas giants to want anything to do with them, and too weeny to undergo fusion and become a proper sun.
However, if this is a matter of mass,...
- 5,771
3
votes
2
answers
182
views
If a gas giant became a star, what type would it be?
The concept of gas giant stellification has always interested me. I would however like to know: if a gas giant, (let’s say Neptune) was stellified by increasing its mass to trigger a temporary fusion ...
- 5,771
1
vote
4
answers
70
views
Stellar Radiation Detons- Cosmic Weapon
In this setting, Humans have done multiple advances in technology and are nearly on the verge of being a Type III civilisation, They have nearly colonized the Milky Way and have tapped energy from ...
2
votes
4
answers
69
views
How can I prevent solar flares?
Quite simply, people are trying to terraform extrasolar planets, starting with Proxima Centauri B. Assuming it is not tidally locked, is it possible to protect the planet from solar flares or to alter ...
- 5,771
4
votes
3
answers
170
views
An Earthlike World Placed Around a Blue White Dwarf
A star that is bright, gives off blue light, and can have a world that mimics conditions on Earth is tricky. I'm hoping I can get one around a blue-colored white dwarf star.
What does the arrangement ...
- 62.5k
6
votes
1
answer
134
views
Could dark matter be used to change a star's position in the main sequence?
Helioforming is the ignition of gas giants of various sizes, or black dwarves, to create protostellar or even stellar celestial bodies. This can be achieved in two ways: compression or mass increase, ...
- 1,176
27
votes
4
answers
6k
views
Would extracting hydrogen from the sun lessen its lifespan?
Relating to my earlier question Is it a good idea to harvest the sun to terraform Venus?
Suppose that we continue to “mine” the sun for hydrogen to be used as rocket fuel. If we continued to do so, ...
- 5,771
0
votes
1
answer
56
views
Can an earth-like planet exist in a circumbinary orbit around two k-class stars?While also having up to two dozen other planets in circumbinary orbit?
I have a plot arc in mind, but it all hinges on the feasibility of an earth-like world existing in circumbinary orbit around two k-class (or g-class) stars. The looming danger in the story arc is that ...
6
votes
2
answers
200
views
What would an eclipse with a translucent crystal moon look like?
What would an eclipse with a translucent crystal moon look like?
In one of my worlds, a special moon orbits the planet — it's made of a translucent crystal, blocking only 80% of the incoming light. It'...
- 3,659
4
votes
1
answer
60
views
Planet Orbital Zone and Year Length
So I'm building a fantasy world that takes place on a planet with a circumference of about 18,500 miles (it's average temperature is 40℉), and it orbits a Blue-Giant.
How long would a year be, and how ...
- 79
-2
votes
1
answer
92
views
How fast do binary stars orbit each other? [closed]
Specifically I am wondering how fast a Class G star and a white dwarf would orbit each other in a type P binary system. How far away would they have to be from each other to have a stable orbit and ...
- 986
4
votes
1
answer
172
views
Can large stars have tidally locked worlds in their habitable zones?
I think the vast majority of space-enthusiasts has heard at some point that in order for a planet orbiting a red dwarf star to be habitable, it needs to be close enough to its parent star to sopport ...
- 1,671
6
votes
2
answers
213
views
How plausible is my solar system?
I am currently working on a world orbiting around a red dwarf star (M0V to M2V, I haven't decided yet) and I need some help with designing the solar system. My original plan was having 4 planets ...
- 1,671
6
votes
2
answers
129
views
How would I make my Quintuple Star System Stable?
So I've been working on a star system that I want to have inhabitable planets, so by stable I mean stable on the timescale of the stars themselves; billions of years at least.
So my initial plan was a ...
- 887
3
votes
1
answer
187
views
What kind of star would allow for red plant life? [duplicate]
I'm designing an alien world in which plantlife is mostly red. I've read that the type of star the planet orbits plays an important role to the plants' color (For example, worlds around M type stars ...
- 1,671
3
votes
3
answers
170
views
Selecting a Red dwarf for my planet
I am currently designing a world orbiting a red dwarf M type star and I would like to know what type of red dwarf do i need to choose (M0V - M9V stars) that can meet the requirements for my world.
For ...
- 1,671
3
votes
1
answer
499
views
Replacing the sun with an type A star (Fomalhaut) in a fantasy solar system where there is an habitable planet
Lets says there is a planet in the goldilocks zone of a type A star (luminosity of 16 and mass of 1.9 (like the star Fomalhaut))
How far would the type A star need to be from the planet and how would ...
- 622
7
votes
8
answers
2k
views
Is life feasible in an inhospitable binary system?
There is a planet orbiting a binary system inside the Goldilocks zone. The problem is that the binary system is of a violent kind. It either regularly explodes and sterilizes a portion of the planet's ...
- 733
2
votes
2
answers
99
views
Possible alternatives to nebulas as a celestial smokescreen
I've been trying to find celestial phenomena that could act like nebula often do in Sci fi shows, i.e.,
A phenomena where a ship can hide from other ships
A phenomena which is difficult but possible ...
- 697
0
votes
1
answer
86
views
Various eclipses in a P-type binary star system?
Trying to make a world with a P-type binary star system, with a habitable planet orbiting around them, and one moon orbiting said planet. I am terrible with physics so I've been wondering if any of ...
- 1
1
vote
3
answers
183
views
On a Tidally-Locked Toroidal Planet
I am developing a world, and I need to see what exactly the surface would be like. It is tidally locked at 1AU away from the parent star.
It is tidally-locked via being a Torus with a major radius of ...
- 756
3
votes
1
answer
105
views
Length of seasons on a planet with eliptical orbit
In my sci-fi story, I have a binary star system with two Sun-like stars orbiting each other in nearly circular orbits. The separation allows them to have planets in stable orbits, and their habitable ...
4
votes
2
answers
99
views
Are there Tides Affecting Stellar Brightness?
I'm working on a fantasy story set in a slightly modified version of the Trappist-1 system (all orbits are perfectly resonant rather than only nearly so), and I am trying to get as good of an ...
- 1,619
6
votes
3
answers
213
views
Blue star adaptation
If life did evolve on a planet around a blue star, what sort of adaptation could be expected? I so far have the autotrophs being yellow/orange or blue to absorb the light. I also thought the animal ...
- 2,966
2
votes
2
answers
96
views
Blue star vision
For sake of argument, let's assume life did evolve on an earth like planet around a blue star. I have this idea that the animal equivalent life wouldn't have color vision so to let in less of the ...
- 2,966
6
votes
3
answers
183
views
What evidence could reveal to aliens that their sun is the result of a binary star merger?
The answer to a previous question suggested life could have the time to begin and evolve on a planet orbiting a blue star if it was at first a binary pair that merged. The technical term is a blue ...
- 2,966
10
votes
8
answers
3k
views
Life underneath a blue star
Blue stars are notorious for burning too bright and living too briefly for life to develop around them. But is there some way that life could survive long enough to reach the sentience stage? I'm ...
- 2,966
7
votes
4
answers
744
views
Could neutron star mergers provide the necessary elements for complex life in the early universe?
I have been looking into the earliest possible time in the universe that a human-like intelligent species could evolve based on the necessary elements being present.
Kepler-444 is one of the oldest ...
user94655
3
votes
1
answer
132
views
How fast would strangelets travel in space?
At what speed would strange matter travel in space after being ejected from a neutron star merger? I have searched around online but I have not found an answer.
- 39
4
votes
2
answers
375
views
What would happen if a neutron star approached the solar system?
Given its enormous eletromagnetic field and gravity( and probably gravitational waves would be very powerful) what would happen if a neutron star approached Earth? What if approached just by few light ...
- 1,889
9
votes
3
answers
948
views
Can a larger mass of stellar engines move a galaxy's dark matter?
There have been ideas about moving galaxies, if all of the needed stars and black holes become stellar/black hole engines but due to the 1:5 ratio of matter and dark matter there will not be enough ...
- 810
0
votes
2
answers
104
views
How bright would these four stars look on the planet you're standing on right now?
Most of the numbers here have been plugged to me by someone you would find on both Reddit and the Speculative Evolution Forum.
Imagine yourself standing on a planet in a quaternary solar system. The ...
- 14.4k
38
votes
8
answers
4k
views
What would happen to a star if most of its energy were reflected back at it?
For simplicity, lets use our Sun as the star.
Next, a dyson sphere is built around it (completely enclosed solid sphere, not a dyson swarm or network, etc.). Handwave how it's built, it's not ...
- 4,064
0
votes
3
answers
177
views
Is this scenario possible? How can it be done?-Dyson sphere replaced by gas giant star
Scenario:
"...Regino is a gas giant approximately the size of Saturn, and three moons, Reo, Gei, and Tan orbit it. All three are small, rocky bodies a half to a quarter the size of Earth's moon. ...
- 587
4
votes
2
answers
131
views
Ways to initiate a supernova explosion
Assume we have a star that is sufficiently massive to end its life in a supernova. Also, said star is currently fusing heavy enough elements that, under normal progression, it is within less than 200 ...
- 141
2
votes
1
answer
65
views
Solar harvesting with cycles of star lifting
I was wondering if it would be possible to take an O type star and lift material from it reducing its mass in cycles near the time the star reaches the end of its main-sequence age for each reducing ...
- 810
10
votes
3
answers
347
views
Living around a quark star
Let's assume the theoretical quark star exists - and humans have found it. There's a planet orbiting it, and for the purposes of my story, I want it to be habitable.
My question is: Can you have a ...
- 3,659
13
votes
4
answers
2k
views
Best star for a Dyson sphere?
Whether solid or a swarm, a problem that occurs to me long-term in building a dyson structure are damaging flares and magnetic storms from the host star. It seems like the absolute best option would ...
- 438
2
votes
0
answers
29
views
what kind of star would a planet need to sustain blue and pink flora and what effect would it have on ocean color? [duplicate]
The ecosystem on this planet, which I call Crilorix is thriving and I was hoping I can make the flora on the surface blue and pink? such as having blue leaves and pink bark on most trees and such, so ...
- 49
5
votes
6
answers
516
views
How to Make the Two Stars of a Circumbinary System Look like One
For context: say I have a planet in a P-type orbit around a pair of binary stars. One's a K-type and the other is a red dwarf (M-type). I want it to be such that, planet-side, it looks as if there is ...
- 887