4 ms·
You don't need to place the polariser right next to the sun; you can use a smaller disc to modulate it's output in one direction. Like the way the earth is lar
by akvadrako 8y ago
You don't need to place the polariser right next to the sun; you can use a smaller disc to modulate it's output in one direction.
Like the way the earth is large enough to block the sun on the entire moon during a lunar eclipse.
- dredmorbius 8y agoIf your shield is smaller than the star's diameter, you have a penumbra effect. Rather than stellar occlusion, at a sufficient distance you have a stellar transit. Building a static support for your polariser might also prove challenging.
- akvadrako 8y agoAh, yes of course. Though if your disc is large enough, such a transit should still be detectable.
- dredmorbius 8y agoYou're trying to detect the modulation, not merely the transit. Your noise floor is now vastly greater.
- akvadrako 8y agoThey could be basically the same - during each transit you could either let the light through or block it.
- dredmorbius 8y agoNow you've decreased bandwidth to orbital period.
- akvadrako 8y agoI missed the part about some minimum speed, but it's still flexible in regards to how many levels or frames per transit you use. The point is really to be able to communicate at all - without using a star's light it's basically impossible after a certain distance.
- dredmorbius 8y agoThere is that "something is better than nothing" element. I've also been thinking of whether or not some sort of stellar laser or maser might be possible. Modulating a narrow, tightly focused beam.