[extropy-chat] ASTRO: Spitzer/SIRTF images released

[Harvey Newstrom]

Robert J. Bradbury wrote,
> It is worth keeping in mind, particularly as the image of
> Comet Schwassmann-Wachmann 1 picked up a couple of asteroids
> by accident, that SIRTF may be the best shot we currently 
> have at seeing a Jupiter Brain or Matrioshka Brain.
> 
> Am I an optimist or what???

What???  I mean, yes!  :-)

Asteroids are easy to detect in our solar system because they are so close.
The fact that SIRTF sees asteroids doesn't indicate any great feat.  Amateur
photographers used to detect these with backyard cameras.  The real question
is whether SIRTF can see Jupiter-sized objects around other stars.  The
answer from
<http://coolcosmos.ipac.caltech.edu/cosmic_kids/learn_sirtf/dwarf.html> is
that SIRTF cannot.  SIRTF can see objects as small as "super-planets", which
they define as bigger than 100 Jupiters.

So it seems that it would be impossible for SIRTF to see a Jupiter brain.

-- 
Harvey Newstrom, CISSP, CISA, CISM, IAM, IBMCP, GSEC
Certified IS Security Pro, Certified IS Auditor, Certified InfoSec Manager,
NSA Certified Assessor, IBM Certified Consultant, SANS Certified GIAC
<HarveyNewstrom.com> <Newstaff.com>