4 ms·
I think this is actually a brilliant exercise in though. I have no idea what the answer is, and it's likely impossible to ever cancel out the effects of every o
by hmsimha 13y ago
I think this is actually a brilliant exercise in though. I have no idea what the answer is, and it's likely impossible to ever cancel out the effects of every other source of gravity within a 1 light-year radius, but it seems like in theory, if the force due to gravity propagates faster than the speed of light, your suggestion may hint at a method of communication that exceeds the speed of light.
- stcredzero 13y agoNo. The change in gravitational fields propagates at the speed of light. The gravitational force vector for a star in the sky N light years away points to where the star was N years ago.
- acchow 13y ago> The gravitational force vector for a star in the sky N light years away points to where the star would be if kept moving at constant speed for N years. FTFY.
- hmsimha 13y agoInteresting. I don't know enough about physics to have a clue one way or the other, but even if it was the prior case (we base our model on where the star is for gravitational computations based on the light we are receiving), that's just what it is -- a model. So if there is a lapse in our understanding that doesn't take into account that the star's gravitational effect on us actually depends on its current position then that may need to be corrected.
- fubari13 13y agoConstant speed is irrelevant in space-time calculations.
- stcredzero 13y ago> FTFY You learn something new everyday!