Do you like it when the interlocutor frankly lies or talks about things that he has no idea about? Unfortunately, most people have long been victims of erroneous or deliberately false stereotypes about space. In addition, our knowledge of the universe is constantly changing, and understanding new information can be difficult even for scientists themselves. But which of the common beliefs actually have nothing to do with reality? Find out about it right now with a selection of the 25 most striking misconceptions about space!

25. Astronauts in orbit are in complete weightlessness

Well, almost, but not quite... On the recordings from video cameras at orbital stations, we often observe how objects float around the cabin, and the astronauts themselves seem lighter than a feather. NASA experts have tried to explain this in the simplest possible way, so as not to overwhelm you with complex terms. Inside the orbital shuttle, all loose objects seem to have no weight because the spacecraft itself is in free fall, and the astronauts inside it experience reduced gravity. Why, then, does the ISS not fall to Earth in any way? The fact is that the apparatus is moving so fast that it misses all the time. In other words, astronauts fall below the horizon all the time.

24. The sun is yellow

Actually, it's white. It appears yellow to us due to the distortion of solar radiation as it passes through our atmosphere.

23. Your mobile phone is powered by satellites.

Typically, 99% of all signals travel through conventional cables. Only a very small part of communications is connected with satellites.

22. Flying through the asteroid belt is deadly.

If you have watched Star Wars, you have already imagined this terrible picture. However, the truth is that if you actually flew through the asteroid belt, you wouldn't even notice it. The density of celestial bodies in this zone is so low that it poses almost no danger to space travelers, but Hollywood was forced to lie in order to make the most spectacular movie possible.

21. The Great Wall of China is the only man-made structure visible from space.

And again by, because the Great Wall of China is not so unique. From the ISS, at a distance of about 400 kilometers, other buildings and structures can be seen, some of them much more visible than the legendary Chinese fortification.

20. The earth is a perfectly round sphere

Due to constant rotation, our planet is slightly convex near the equator, and it is more of an ellipse than a perfectly rounded ball.

19. Mercury is the hottest planet in the solar system

You probably thought that since Mercury is closer than the other planets to the Sun, then it is probably the hottest there. However, this opinion is another misconception. Due to atmospheric conditions, the second planet of the solar system, Venus, boasts an average temperature of 480 ° C, while on Mercury this figure is in the region of 167 ° C.

18. The sun is a huge fireball

There is no fire there. Fire, as we know it, needs oxygen, while the sun is made up mostly of helium and hydrogen. The source of the sun lies in the process of thermonuclear reaction. The pressure and temperature inside the solar core are so great that hydrogen atoms react and transform into helium atoms. This process provides us with much-needed warmth and light.

17. The moon has a "dark side"

There are legends about that side of the moon, which supposedly is forever enveloped in darkness and keeps some terrible secrets. Know that there really is nothing like it. But there is a reverse (or far) side of the Moon, which is usually not visible from the Earth due to the rotation of both our planet and our natural satellite. To see this side, you just need to fly around the moon. Only.

16. Pluto is a planet of the solar system

At school, we were taught that there are 9 planets in the solar system, and that Pluto is one of them. But science does not stand still, and terminology is constantly changing. Since 2006, by order of the International Astronomical Union (IAU), Pluto has been demoted and recognized as a dwarf planet. But why? The thing is that in 2006 the same IAU gave a new definition to the term "planet", and Pluto, as it turned out, does not have all the necessary qualities. You have probably heard that beyond Neptune is the Kuiper Belt. In fact, this is a huge asteroid belt, and Pluto is not the largest object within it.

15. The mysterious ninth planet (or planet 9)

Pluto is no longer considered the ninth planet in the solar system, but scientists still believe that a ninth planet exists. This hypothetical trans-Neptunian celestial may very well turn out to be real. Scientists came to this conclusion based on observations of the orbits of several other space objects from the Kuiper belt, which clearly have some extraneous gravitational influence. Planet 9 is probably very far away from us, and it is much larger than the Earth.

14. Black holes are funnels

In movies and cartoons, black holes are usually depicted as huge funnels that suck everything around them. In reality, black holes are more like giant spheres. In fact, these are rather incredibly dense stars with powerful gravity.

13. In the Middle Ages, people thought the Earth was flat.

Almost any scientist of those years knew that our home planet is spherical. It is for this reason that the Europeans began to make heroic voyages - to get to the West through the East and find a new sea route. In addition, the ancient Greeks knew about the shape of the Earth. There is a mention of this in the records of 300 BC.

12. Space is cold

Not really. Measuring the temperature of space is not so easy. Probably because there is simply nothing to measure. High temperatures usually mean that the atoms of the substance are in an excited state. However, the vacuum of space is clearly not distinguished by the mobility of atoms. It would be more correct to say that there is no temperature in space.

11. In outer space, you will freeze to death.

As we have already seen, the temperature in space is not so simple. Moreover, if a person suddenly finds himself in outer space and without a spacesuit, he is more likely to overheat. Why? Because the heat produced by our body will be unable to leave the body. On Earth, we cool off easily - we sweat, exchange temperatures with the environment, and so on. In space, such methods will no longer work, because there is simply nothing to exchange with.

10. In space, human blood boils.

This statement is also wrong. Yes, liquids will boil at lower temperatures at lower pressures (if that pressure doesn't allow the liquid to turn into a gas), but that won't happen with your blood. Why? Because yours is in a closed system, and the effect of zero pressure will not have such a fleeting effect. Of course, liquids that are exposed to the environment (saliva, outer shell of the eyes) will boil almost immediately. But blood is not. In addition, do not confuse boiling with heating. The saliva will not become hot, due to the reduced pressure, it will simply go into a gaseous state.

9. In outer space, your body will explode.

This bright picture has repeatedly appeared before the eyes of fans of science fiction films. And yes, this is another lie invented for dramatization and box office. The human body will swell slightly, but it will certainly not shatter into pieces. In 1966, a Houston scientist tested a spacesuit in an artificial vacuum equivalent to being at an altitude of 37 kilometers. The protective suit was defective, and the technician survived the most dangerous decompression. The pressure was restored within 30 seconds, so the man did not experience any detrimental health effects, and later the scientist even recalled that before losing consciousness, he felt his saliva boil.

8. The tail of a comet depends on the trajectory of the path of this celestial body

No, everything is wrong again, because the tail of a comet is formed under the influence of heat and solar wind, and not from friction or some other mechanical influence. This means that the tail always faces the sun, regardless of the comet's direction of travel.

7. Explosions can be heard in space

In space, it is impossible to hear absolutely nothing, because there is no medium through which sound signals could be transmitted.

6. We can't fly too fast because modern engines aren't powerful enough.

There is practically no resistance in space, so even the most modest engine can accelerate a huge ship to incredible speeds. NASA is currently experimenting with ion thrusters. However, the main problem is fuel reserves. To accelerate such a large object for a long time, the engine needs a serious power source. When the spacecraft does reach its maximum speed, its engine can be turned off, because now the ship will reach the other end of the universe without any problems. Another thing is that someday you will want to stop the ship, and for this you will need a reverse thrust. The same amount of fuel is needed to stop the ship as it is to accelerate, so scientists still have something to break their bright minds over.

5. Explosions in space are accompanied by flames

Star Wars is still a bad source of information. As we have already found out with the example of the Sun, fire needs oxygen. Since there is no air in space, explosions there will look very different, that is, far from like in Hollywood films. As for rocket engines, they produce flames, but only because the fuel tanker also has a supply of oxygen.

4. Astronauts in outer space fly with the help of small jet motors.

Almost, but not quite. The suits are indeed equipped with something similar, but just in case, and such systems do not have enough fuel for Hollywood-style flights.

3. Nothing is faster than the speed of light

This is relatively true, but scientists have increasingly come to the conclusion that quantum mechanics does not always follow its own rules. For example, quantum entanglement and other similar phenomena may lead to the discovery of the possibility of traveling at speeds faster than the speed of light. This will be an extremely important breakthrough not only for space flight, but also for the field of computing devices.

2. NASA spent millions of dollars developing a pen that could write in space.

This myth is often told when referring to the 1960s space race between US and Soviet agencies. People laughed that NASA had spent millions of dollars developing a ballpoint pen that could write in relative weightlessness, while the Soviet cosmonauts showed the famous Russian ingenuity and took ordinary pencils with them. However, the truth is that both states first used pencils and felt-tip pens, and then switched to a special pen, but its development did not cost anyone any millions of dollars. The astronaut writing utensils were created on their own initiative by the privately owned Fisher Pen Company, which later sold its pens for $6 each.

1. The earth revolves around the sun

And here is the most incredible lie! Now you will have something to show off in front of your friends in an idle conversation, and surprise everyone in earnest. Every object affects every other body, and this means that not only the gravity of the Sun affects the Earth, but also the gravity of our planet affects the movement of the Sun. Technically, both of these celestial bodies revolve around the so-called barycenter. In the case of the Earth, this conditional point is so close to the center of the Sun that it was simply ignored. However, in the case of Jupiter, the barycenter is 48,280 kilometers from the surface of the Sun. In a way, we all revolve around each other...

All photos: pixabay (public domain)

Do you like it when the interlocutor frankly lies or talks about things that he has no idea about?

Unfortunately, most people have long been victims of erroneous or deliberately false stereotypes about space. In addition, our knowledge of the universe is constantly changing, and understanding new information can be difficult even for scientists themselves. But which of the common beliefs actually have nothing to do with reality? Find out about it right now with a selection of the 25 most striking misconceptions about space!

25. Astronauts in orbit are in complete weightlessness

Well, almost, but not quite... On the recordings from video cameras at orbital stations, we often observe how objects float around the cabin, and the astronauts themselves seem lighter than a feather. NASA experts have tried to explain this in the simplest possible way, so as not to overwhelm you with complex terms. Inside the orbital shuttle, all loose objects seem to have no weight because the spacecraft itself is in free fall, and the astronauts inside it experience reduced gravity. Why, then, does the ISS not fall to Earth in any way? The fact is that the apparatus is moving so fast that it misses all the time. In other words, astronauts fall below the horizon all the time.

24. The sun is yellow

Actually, it's white. It appears yellow to us due to the distortion of solar radiation as it passes through our atmosphere.

23. Your mobile phone is powered by satellites.

Typically, 99% of all signals travel through conventional cables. Only a very small part of communications is connected with satellites.

22. Flying through the asteroid belt is deadly.

If you have watched Star Wars, you have already imagined this terrible picture. However, the truth is that if you actually flew through the asteroid belt, you wouldn't even notice it. The density of celestial bodies in this zone is so low that it poses almost no danger to space travelers, but Hollywood was forced to lie in order to make the most spectacular movie possible.

21. The Great Wall of China is the only man-made structure visible from space.

And again by, because the Great Wall of China is not so unique. From the ISS, at a distance of about 400 kilometers, other buildings and structures can be seen, some of them much more visible than the legendary Chinese fortification.

20. The earth is a perfectly round sphere

Due to constant rotation, our planet is slightly convex near the equator, and it is more of an ellipse than a perfectly rounded ball.

19. Mercury is the hottest planet in the solar system

You probably thought that since Mercury is closer than the other planets to the Sun, then it is probably the hottest there. However, this opinion is another misconception. Due to atmospheric conditions, the second planet of the solar system, Venus, boasts an average temperature of 480 ° C, while on Mercury this figure is in the region of 167 ° C.

18. The sun is a huge fireball

There is no fire there. Fire, as we know it, needs oxygen, while the sun is made up mostly of helium and hydrogen. The source of solar heat lies in the process of thermonuclear reaction. The pressure and temperature inside the solar core are so great that hydrogen atoms react and transform into helium atoms. This process provides us with much-needed warmth and light.

17. The moon has a "dark side"

There are legends about that side of the moon, which supposedly is forever enveloped in darkness and keeps some terrible secrets. Know that there really is nothing like it. But there is a reverse (or far) side of the Moon, which is usually not visible from the Earth due to the rotation of both our planet and our natural satellite. To see this side, you just need to fly around the moon. Only.

16. Pluto is a planet of the solar system

At school, we were taught that there are 9 planets in the solar system, and that Pluto is one of them. But science does not stand still, and terminology is constantly changing. Since 2006, by order of the International Astronomical Union (IAU), Pluto has been demoted and recognized as a dwarf planet. But why? The thing is that in 2006 the same IAU gave a new definition to the term "planet", and Pluto, as it turned out, does not have all the necessary qualities. You have probably heard that beyond Neptune is the Kuiper Belt. In fact, this is a huge asteroid belt, and Pluto is not the largest object within it.

15. The mysterious ninth planet (or planet 9)

Pluto is no longer considered the ninth planet in the solar system, but scientists still believe that a ninth planet exists. This hypothetical trans-Neptunian celestial body may well turn out to be real. Scientists came to this conclusion based on observations of the orbits of several other space objects from the Kuiper belt, which clearly have some extraneous gravitational influence. Planet 9 is probably very far away from us, and it is much larger than the Earth.

14. Black holes are funnels

In movies and cartoons, black holes are usually depicted as huge funnels that suck everything around them. In reality, black holes are more like giant spheres. In fact, these are rather incredibly dense stars with powerful gravity.

13. In the Middle Ages, people thought the Earth was flat.

Almost any scientist of those years knew that our home planet is spherical. It is for this reason that the Europeans began to make heroic voyages - to get to the West through the East and find a new sea route. In addition, the ancient Greeks knew about the shape of the Earth. There is a mention of this in the records of 300 BC.

12. Space is cold

Not really. Measuring the temperature of space is not so easy. Probably because there is simply nothing to measure. High temperatures usually mean that the atoms of the substance are in an excited state. However, the vacuum of space is clearly not distinguished by the mobility of atoms. It would be more correct to say that there is no temperature in space.

11. In outer space, you will freeze to death.

As we have already seen, the temperature in space is not so simple. Moreover, if a person suddenly finds himself in outer space and without a spacesuit, he is more likely to overheat. Why? Because the heat produced by our body will be unable to leave the body. On Earth, we cool off easily - we sweat, exchange temperatures with the environment, and so on. In space, such methods will no longer work, because there is simply nothing to exchange with.

10. In space, human blood boils.

This statement is also wrong. Yes, liquids will boil at lower temperatures at lower pressures (if that pressure doesn't allow the liquid to turn into a gas), but that won't happen with your blood. Why? Because your blood is in a closed system and the effect of zero pressure will not have such a fleeting effect. Of course, liquids that are exposed to the environment (saliva, outer shell of the eyes) will boil almost immediately. But blood is not. In addition, do not confuse boiling with heating. The saliva will not become hot, due to the reduced pressure, it will simply go into a gaseous state.

9. In outer space, your body will explode.

This bright picture has repeatedly appeared before the eyes of fans of science fiction films. And yes, this is another lie invented for dramatization and box office. The human body will swell slightly, but it will certainly not shatter into pieces. In 1966, a Houston scientist tested a spacesuit in an artificial vacuum equivalent to being at an altitude of 37 kilometers. The protective suit was defective, and the technician survived the most dangerous decompression. The pressure was restored within 30 seconds, so the man did not experience any detrimental health effects, and later the scientist even recalled that before losing consciousness, he felt his saliva boil.

8. The tail of a comet depends on the trajectory of the path of this celestial body

No, everything is wrong again, because the tail of a comet is formed under the influence of heat and solar wind, and not from friction or some other mechanical influence. This means that the tail always faces the sun, regardless of the comet's direction of travel.

7. Explosions can be heard in space

In space, it is impossible to hear absolutely nothing, because there is no medium through which sound signals could be transmitted.

6. We can't fly too fast because modern engines aren't powerful enough.

There is practically no resistance in space, so even the most modest engine can accelerate a huge ship to incredible speeds. NASA is currently experimenting with ion thrusters. However, the main problem is fuel reserves. To accelerate such a large object for a long time, the engine needs a serious power source. When the spacecraft does reach its maximum speed, its engine can be turned off, because now the ship will reach the other end of the universe without any problems. Another thing is that someday you will want to stop the ship, and for this you will need a reverse thrust. The same amount of fuel is needed to stop the ship as it is to accelerate, so scientists still have something to break their bright minds over.

5. Explosions in space are accompanied by flames

Star Wars is still a bad source of information. As we have already found out with the example of the Sun, fire needs oxygen. Since there is no air in space, explosions there will look very different, that is, far from like in Hollywood films. As for rocket engines, they produce flames, but only because the fuel tanker also has a supply of oxygen.

4. Astronauts in outer space fly with the help of small jet motors.

Almost, but not quite. The suits are indeed equipped with something similar, but just in case, and such systems do not have enough fuel for Hollywood-style flights.

3. Nothing is faster than the speed of light

This is relatively true, but scientists have increasingly come to the conclusion that quantum mechanics does not always follow its own rules. For example, quantum entanglement and other similar phenomena may lead to the discovery of the possibility of traveling at speeds faster than the speed of light. This will be an extremely important breakthrough not only for space flight, but also for the field of computing devices.

2. NASA spent millions of dollars developing a pen that could write in space.

This myth is often told when referring to the 1960s space race between US and Soviet agencies. People laughed that NASA had spent millions of dollars developing a ballpoint pen that could write in relative weightlessness, while the Soviet cosmonauts showed the famous Russian ingenuity and took ordinary pencils with them. However, the truth is that both states first used pencils and felt-tip pens, and then switched to a special pen, but its development did not cost anyone any millions of dollars. The astronaut writing utensils were created on their own initiative by the privately owned Fisher Pen Company, which later sold its pens for $6 each.

1. The earth revolves around the sun

And here is the most incredible lie! Now you will have something to show off in front of your friends in an idle conversation, and surprise everyone in earnest. Every object affects every other body, and this means that not only the gravity of the Sun affects the Earth, but also the gravity of our planet affects the movement of the Sun. Technically, both of these celestial bodies revolve around the so-called barycenter. In the case of the Earth, this conditional point is so close to the center of the Sun that it was simply ignored. However, in the case of Jupiter, the barycenter is 48,280 kilometers from the surface of the Sun. In a way, we all revolve around each other...

All photos: pixabay (public domain)

The promises of the No Manʼs Sky development team were very immodest. They promised endless galaxies, an indecent number of planets with randomly generated conditions and life forms, dizzying adventures, trade with intelligent races, skirmishes with space pirates. Much of this is indeed in the game, if you wade through the numerous errors, chaotic interface and non-obvious resource gathering process. Poster Daily, however, was more interested in how far reality is from what No Manʼs Sky draws.

Vitaly Egorov

exoplanets

In Game: The essence of No Manʼs Sky is to surf the virtual space in search of planets more or less suitable for landing and studying. There are supposedly 18.6 quintillion of them here (a quintillion is a unit followed by 18 zeros). You can sit on any and try to find adventure.

Actually: "According to the latest data, 3501 planets outside the solar system in 3215 planetary systems have now been confirmed. Most of them were discovered by indirect methods, and only a dozen were photographed using telescopes. Not everything is clear with the solar system either. dwarf planets, the sun has eight planets left, but in early 2016, American scientists started talking that there might be another planet the size of Neptune, only it's too far away, and it's dark and cold there, so it still hasn't been found."

In Game: Planets in the game outer space - like cherries in compote. It is enough to direct the starship to an arbitrary point, and here they are, choose any!

Visualization of what the "cousin of the Earth" - the planet Kepler 186f could look like

Actually:“Several space and ground-based observatories are engaged in the search for exoplanets. The most productive “planet catcher” is the NASA Kepler space telescope, its task is to continuously look at a large star cluster and record the moments when planets pass between it and each of the thousands of stars. This method is called transit "Then they look at this star from the Earth and try to determine whether Kepler was right. If the data converge, the planet is recognized. By the way, anyone can become the discoverer of the planet, since the results of Kepler's work are open, and there is a special one that allows you to search for exoplanets. However, the discovery does not allow you to choose the name of your planet, all honor will go to the telescope.

The Gaia telescope promises to surpass the success of Kepler, TESS will search for exoplanets in the "neighborhood" of the Sun - within a radius of 100 light years, and JVST will be able to view the nearest exoplanets directly. Now the most interesting for scientists and the public are Earth-like planets in the so-called "zone of life" - an area surrounded by a star where it is possible to maintain liquid water. Several of these have already been found, but so far there is no evidence of their habitability.

Names of space bodies

In Game: You can name the planets and, in general, any space novelties as you like, and users accepted this with enthusiasm. In the cosmic depths of No Man's Sky, the planets Big Ass and Butovo, as well as Trump, Don't Go Here and Sandy's Fat Face now rotate sedately.

Actually: "A space explorer has only one way to leave his name in the sky: to discover a new comet. Asteroids, planets, satellites and other objects cannot be named as they please. The discoverer can only suggest a name and explain the reason for the choice, and the world community of astronomers will consider his proposal. If, for example, an asteroid is named after a person, then it must be an honored scientist or public figure who contributed to the progress of mankind, that is, not connected with military service in any way.

For some objects, there are even narrower naming options. For example, the craters of Mercury are called by the names of prominent cultural figures: writers, artists, composers. On Venus, almost all the names are borrowed from the female mythological characters of the world, there are even Baba Yaga and the Snow Maiden. The names of large objects of the solar system are also trying to select from the names of mythical characters.

Stars are usually named by the constellation in which they are located, or by the catalog in which they are listed. The purchase of a “star as a gift” has no official power - it is just a fun souvenir that no one knows about except its owner, giver and seller of the corresponding certificate.

Vibrant colors and colorful sunsets

1 of 6

2 of 6

3 of 6

4 of 6

5 out of 6

6 out of 6

Sunset captured by the rover

Actually: "For human eyes, the cosmos is rather dim. We can hardly even see our own Galaxy - the Milky Way, for this we need to go away from city lights, better to the desert or mountains. But even from there it will seem black and white and inconspicuous. And the reason is the accumulation of light.The camera matrix can collect photons of fractions of a second and a minute.Space telescopes can accumulate light for weeks, resulting in "deep surveys" when very distant galaxies are visible.Our eye cannot do this in principle, therefore, in order to see all the beauty space, some additional space assets will be required.

On the other hand, the atmospheres of the planets can really surprise and amaze our imagination. For instance, on Mars during the day beige-black sky Congratulations! You found a promo code: 814 Send it in the comments to the post and in private messages of the community. Be the very first to send this code and get a ticket to Wargaming Fest. because of the dust and thin atmosphere, but at sunset and dawn it blooms with colors from blue to purple and lilac. On Titan, you could see an infrared rainbow if our eyes could detect light in that range."

Galactic center and black holes

In Game: The goal is to move towards the center of the Galaxy, where something important is supposedly waiting for the user.

Actually: “There are indeed many mysteries in the center of the Galaxy, although from what we know about it, it follows that it is not worth flying to this place. The Galactic Center is the most intense source of X-rays and gamma rays in our Galaxy. The abundance of stars, dense gas clouds, high radiation contribute to the collapse of old stars and the birth of new ones. And in the center hides a supermassive black hole, which is not averse to eating passing stars, which contributes to even more intense emissions of cosmic rays into the surrounding space. Scientists are interested in this cosmic crucible and the processes in its depths, but so far they are trying to study them from afar: with the help of infrared, X-ray, gamma and radio telescopes. It’s also not worth flying there in search of habitable planets, since the conditions there are not conducive to the development of life forms known to us. ”

In Game: The black hole also appears in the list of game objects. In one of the tasks, they offer to fly into it no less.

Actually: "Black holes are the most extreme places in our Universe. The laws of physics known to us end there, so what is hidden in the depths can only be assumed. When approaching a black hole, space travelers are waiting for the problems already described above: intense radiation and high-energy particle flows from accretion not all black holes have a disk, but only those that are in the stage of absorption of the surrounding matter, for example, from a nearby star.If the black hole is in the void, then the traveler can send his ship into the hole and on his own skin find out what the curvature of space-time is. As a result, it will become a very exotic suicide, and stretched out in time for an outside observer. "

Spaceships

In Game: The main friend and helper of the hero of the game is his spaceship. He moves in it, stores supplies in it, and fights against pirates in it. Starships No Manʼs Sky look like in any space fantasy: cockpit, wings, giant nozzles.

Actually: “Player ships look like they are propelled by reactive power. Today, this is the only method of controlled movement in space used in practice. There is still an opportunity to achieve an increase in force due to gravitational maneuvers for large space bodies, but a device without a rocket engine will still be uncontrollable. At the same time, we already understand that jet propulsion has a rather limited application. We barely have enough to move between the planets of our system, there is no question of any stars, even the nearest ones. If we want to gain high speed with the help of jet power, then we either need a huge supply of fuel so that it can be thrown out through nozzles. Or you need a colossal source of energy to throw fuel at a sufficiently high speed. Ideally, the speed of the outflow of fuel from the nozzle should approach the speed of light, in which case we will already be able to encroach on interstellar distances, but all the same, these will only be neighboring stars, moving between which will take decades.

Visualization of how the miniprobes will fly to the Alpha Centauri system

An alternative way to move, which also requires huge energy, but does not contradict modern knowledge of physics, is sailboats. The solar reflector sailboat has already been launched into space for experimental purposes. Sunlight exerts some pressure, but not enough to add much speed. Sailboats can be used more efficiently if giant laser installations are built on Earth and the surrounding planets. Then beams of high intensity can be concentrated on reflector sails and given serious acceleration. Such a project has already begun to be developed in earnest, with the support of businessman Yuri Milner and physicist Stephen Hawking. However, they are planning to launch one gram spacecraft Congratulations! You found a promo code: 962 Send it in the comments to the post and in private messages of the community. Be the very first to send this code and get a ticket to Wargaming Fest., which must reach the nearest star in twenty years. To launch such a device, a “laser gun” with a diameter of 10 kilometers would be required. Therefore, the implementation of this idea is still far away.

interstellar travel

In Game: Of course, here they boldly operate with concepts like “hyperspace drive”. You will spend the first few hours assembling and refueling it if you decide to take on No Manʼs Sky.

Actually: “Hypothetically, you can assume a drive on the curvature of space, like a fantastic “warp drive”. The appearance of a "wormhole" in space does not contradict the general theory of relativity, and one can imagine a spacecraft that creates such a "wormhole" in front of it and closes it behind. But so far, no one knows how to transfer this process from chalk boards, at least to the laboratory, not to mention space.

There is still some development, called EMDrive, which already exists and is even capable of delivering meager thrust without fuel emission, but so far no one can explain the physical principle of this engine, and serious research has not come to that.

Minerals in space

In Game: There is no time to relax in virtual space. Resources are required to keep the hazmat suit working. You also need to constantly refuel the starship, however, minerals are mined directly from asteroids flying by.

Actually: “The idea of ​​taking fuel components from the environment, rather than taking it with you, was embodied in a theoretical development. There, in front of the spacecraft, with the help of a magnetic field, a huge funnel was formed, which collected rarefied interstellar gas and sent it to a thermonuclear reactor. The gas turned into a narrow and ultra-fast jet of plasma, which pushed the starship. For such a design, the concentration of this interstellar gas is very important. It could be applied more effectively in gas clouds and nebulae, but ironically, the Earth is in a large rarefied bubble of space, in which there is ten times less gas than the average for the Galaxy. Nevertheless, the Bassard Straight-Line is the closest in design to those starships that are drawn in the game.

In Game: In No Manʼs Sky, for some reason, the price of gold. It appears on the surfaces of planets in the form of shiny mountains that need to be sawn with a beam drill and then sold at stations hanging in space.

Actually: “If we talk about space minerals in general, then their usefulness is determined by specific needs. For example, on Earth, clay is a rather useless fossil. In some places it is used, but in general, the deposits are not of great interest to industrialists. On Mars, local clay may be the basis of Martian agriculture, since it is rich in nitrogen dioxide, contains organic matter, water and has a small admixture of harmful salts. For a future lunar base, soil containing 10% water will be of the greatest value as a source of water, and helium-3 contained in regolith will someday become thermonuclear fuel for the first starship or the basis of future Earth's thermonuclear energy.

From the point of view of modern terrestrial industry, there is nothing in space that would be of significant interest or high cost. Fossils of the cosmos will then become useful when they are needed in the cosmos itself. There is nothing to bring to Earth from there - we can always find the same or invent a replacement.

Space battles

In Game: Without space shootouts with classic bright "piu-piu" No Manʼs Sky would finally turn into a simulator of a driller. Therefore, they exist and are no different from the battles in science fiction films.

Actually: “As far as I know, not a single book has been written yet, not a single film or cartoon has been shot, not a game has been written where a space battle would be reliably shown. In most cases, these are air battles transferred to space. When it comes to large spaceships, then they show a three-dimensional naval battle, moreover, from the time of the First World War or caravels in general. I have a dream to gather a dozen ballistics and space navigation specialists and describe the first authentic space battle.

Of course, modern weapons can be used in space: rockets and machine guns, but they will be effective only in a very limited range. For example, if two opponents are in the same orbit and have almost the same speed. But if the inclination of the orbit is different or the collision takes place on opposite trajectories, then the effectiveness of the machine gun burst is reduced to throwing a handful of balls from the bearing. In other words, in order to successfully conduct a space battle, it will be necessary not to catch the enemy in the crosshairs of the sight, but to expend enormous computing power on modeling his trajectory and orbit, take into account external influences, your own position in space, and carry out trajectory measurements, referring to a map of stars, pulsars or quasars. .

Traces of alien civilizations

In Game: Here you will have to communicate with representatives of other races and look for fragments of ancient civilizations. Even learn the alien language!

Actually: “Since the development of radio astronomy in the post-war years, mankind has hoped to hear the signals of intelligent civilizations. For this purpose, the SETI program was created - the search for extraterrestrial intelligence. Now it has already been withdrawn from state funding, but continues with the support of private patrons. Searches are carried out by the most powerful radio telescopes and are conducted by professional scientists. So far, nothing interesting has been heard. Recently they even solved, which remained a mystery for three decades, - it turned out that there were also no aliens.

Less well known are other areas of SETI's activities, such as the study of the surface of planets and satellites using spacecraft. Pictures of space bodies are taken for various scientific purposes, but within the framework of SETI, these frames are looking for signs of the activity of alien intelligent beings. Many enthusiasts are engaged in similar activities, but without scientific training, you can become a victim of your own imagination, as frogs and even found on Mars appear in the news. True, in fact, these are just stones. ”It is usually played by those who, by their education or interests, are close to astronautics, but their careers have developed in another area.”

What

“Lies, lies everywhere, even in orbit!” or a few common misconceptions about space

What would you do in the first place if you found out that many of the facts about space that you know are lies? Most likely, you would be surprised and upset, right? But don't worry, you are not alone. Most people will have this reaction, and especially those who are fond of exploring outer space. No matter how sad it may sound, but many people, as far as space is concerned, believe frankly false information.

Why is this happening? In fact, there are many reasons for that. Various facts about the Universe lose their relevance so quickly that even famous astronauts have to carefully monitor all these changes. So, you want to know what is actually a lie and what is the truth? If yes, then let's go!

Astronauts just hover in orbit

Everything would be fine, but in reality this statement is far from the real one. When you see in the pictures how the astronauts hover freely inside the shuttle, this is because in fact the shuttle, and along with it the astronauts, is in a state of free fall. So why doesn't all this happiness just collapse to Earth? It's simple, their lateral speed is too high, so in fact they roll over the horizon all the time.

The sun is yellow

Actually, the Sun is white, it just appears yellow most of the time due to the refraction of light rays in the atmosphere.

Your mobile phone is powered by satellite

This is not true. Ninety-nine percent of all communication on Earth is through cable coverage. Only a small proportion of mobile devices actually use satellite signals.

Flying through the asteroid belt is dangerous

If you've watched Star Wars, you probably already know what we mean. However, in reality, everything is a little different, as the guys from Hollywood show us, and if you actually flew through the asteroid belt, you probably wouldn’t even notice it. The fact is that the real density of asteroids is much less than what they show us in space action movies and horror films.

The Great Wall of China is the only man-made structure that can be seen from space.

No, the Great Wall of China is far from the only structure that is actually visible. For example, from the International Space Station, in addition to the Great Wall of China, you can see many other modern structures, however, it is worth paying tribute to the ancient Chinese, their wall is really the most noticeable human structure on our planet.

Mercury is the hottest planet

Because Mercury is so close to the Sun, many of us probably consider it to be the hottest planet in the entire solar system. Actually, it is not. The atmosphere of Venus provides a temperature of about 480 degrees Celsius on its surface, while the average temperature on the surface of Mercury jumps around 167 degrees Celsius.

The sun is a huge ball of fire

This is another common misconception, because in fact there is no fire on the Sun. Fire can burn only in an environment with sufficient oxygen, and the Sun is predominantly composed of hydrogen and helium. In fact, the heat that comes from the Sun is the result of a series of complex thermonuclear reactions. Pressure and temperature in the solar core cause hydrogen atoms to become helium atoms, and it is this process that generates solar heat and light.

There is no "dark side" of the moon

In fact, the Moon does not have any "dark side" that would be forever shrouded in impenetrable darkness. It’s just that one side of the Moon is always closed from our eyes due to the constant rotation of the Earth and the Moon in space, so this phenomenon would be more accurately called not the “dark”, but the far side of the Moon. The only way to see this far side is to fly around the moon in a spacecraft.

It's cold in space

This is not entirely true. In fact, it is almost impossible to measure the temperature in space, because there, in fact, there is nothing to measure. Temperature is defined as the speed of movement of atoms, and since there is a small shortage of atoms in the space vacuum, space is neither cold nor hot, it is rather none. And yes, you can't freeze in space. If a person suddenly finds himself in outer space, then purely theoretically, he would rather not get stunned, but overheat. Why? Simply because the heat that our body generates will not have anywhere to go. On Earth, heat exchange occurs due to convection and other similar processes, and since there is no temperature in space, you will not be able to give your heat to the surrounding space.