One or two dozen galaxies form a cluster or family like the Local Group. Clusters form larger groupings which Reymont calls "clans." Galaxies within a cluster are an average of a million light years apart whereas clans are fifty million light years apart. The Local and Virgo groups belong to the same clan.
Inter-clan space is so empty that the Leonora Christine will be unable either to steer or to navigate. Statistics alone will enable the ship to enter another clan. It is necessary to accelerate as much as possible in order to cross such distances in an acceptably short subjective time.
This is indeed "...where no one has gone before."
3 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
Stunning magnitudes in time and space!
Sean
"It is necessary to accelerate as much as possible in order to cross such distances in an acceptably short subjective time."
Our jolly crew isn't going to be doing much accelerating, or much of anything at all- not enough fuel/reaction mass:
According to Universe Today, for the intergalactic medium they state a figure of only one hydrogen atom per cubic meter.
As a point of comparison, the University of California, San Diego quotes an interstellar density of 1 atom per cubic centimeter.(https://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/25378/how-vacuous-is-intergalactic-space)
Also:
"Within about 200 light-years of Sol the density is around 7×10-2 atoms/cm3, because Sol in inside a bubble. Elsewhere it varies from 10-4 to 106 atoms/cm3 depending upon what sort of space you are in." (http://www.projectrho.com/public_html/rocket/slowerlight.php.) That's about 1/10th of what was originally believed. so Elsie will need much bigger/more powerful ramscoops.
-kh
Kaor, Keith!
Then, for the sake of the story in TAU ZERO, we should assume the "Leonora Christine's" ramscoops was more powerful or efficient than the story might tell us was the case.
Sean
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