h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Now, it's obvious that you won't be able to hear an explosion in space, but that would make Star Wars a little dull. But I was thinking, would you get much sparking and flaming and such? There's nothing to burn in space, so all the fuel for this must come from within the exploding object. I would imagine this would run out fairly quickly. So would you get a proper explosion in space or more of a 'visually muffled' flash?

I was reading an SF book recently, which mentioned this in passing. They mentioned that there actually were decent () explosions, because of the fuel and bits of spaceship etc blowing apart due to being heated to 40,000 degrees and so on. I think they lasted a couple of seconds or so in the book.

Obviously I have no idea if this is true, and it probably depends on the particular weapons being used as well. Cool question though.

I reckon they could be pretty impressive and long lasting depending on the initial parameters


http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/1999/0237/

Explosives don't need oxygen so don't really see why it would make any difference. Flammable liquids wouldn't explode, but then that only happens in Hollywood anyway.

And I disagree with your 'dull' : BSG does silent explosions very well IMO.

Filmmakers often miss a trick with all the space racket. Think of how tense it was when Dave Bowman went to grab his crewmate in 2001. Not a peep.

Yeah, I've thought that myself a few times. It really adds to the strangeness of it all.

I think this is something that could clearly be tested on the next shuttle mission.

I'm sure allowing them so shoot off and then blow up random pieces of machinery would go down quite well with the astronauts too

I thought for a moment that there was another unplanned shuttle disaster being predicted a la Challenger and Columbia. I mean to complete the set - one on lift-off, one on re-entry and on on orbit.

t.

I want to know why we're not testing an asteroid defence system yet.

ah well, we're still in the diplomacy phase of space defense and hoping that if we ask them nicely then they'll all stay away from us.

Rubbish,

It's 'cos we haven't offered the asteroids the right kind of payment to come and defend us!

Just you wait until I dig up the end of the tube of this death ray thingy they've started up, then they'll learn their place.










Just in case.

heh

Although now we know there's all sorts of resources in them thar asteroids and gas clouds it can only be a matter of time before we bring democracy to the solar system.

Shock and Ore!

It's all a load of bolides if you ask me...


t.

@ Christopher's post.