Dyson sphere

[shadow735]

I was watching Star Trek episode relics where they encounter a dyson sphere and this got me to thinking.<br /><br />Is something like this even possible? I know the technology is probably a few hundred to million years away from us, but if something like this was possible How much materials would be needed?<br />Were talking about encompassing a sun with the inside of the spheres surface being in the habitable zone.<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[yevaud]

It would require all of the mass (less the sun) in that entire solar system. All bodies, from rocky through the gas giants, would have to be rendered down to obtain the material to build it. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Differential Diagnosis:  </em>"<strong><em>I am both amused and annoyed that you think I should be less stubborn than you are</em></strong>."<br /> </p> </div>

 

[shadow735]

I would think they would also need to import materials from other systems as well. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[yevaud]

This was calculated once. Needless to say, the Dyson Sphere's shell would only be a few meters thinks, but that was considered as acceptable. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Differential Diagnosis:  </em>"<strong><em>I am both amused and annoyed that you think I should be less stubborn than you are</em></strong>."<br /> </p> </div>

 

[a_lost_packet_]

Interesting link. Another link on that page lead to this: http://www.nada.kth.se/~asa/dysonFAQ.html<br /><br />A nice writeup on a lot of Dyson subjects. It also includes three active searches conducted for Dyson spheres. Neat. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="1">I put on my robe and wizard hat...</font> </div>

 

[lsbd]

assuming that the surface of the sphere was earth distance from the star, the sphere would have a "surface area" of about 2.7x10^16 sq miles. That's a helluva lot of room. What would you do with it all?

 

[ashish27]

That was the last time Scotty appeared on screen <img src="/images/icons/frown.gif" /><br /><br />Anyways, nothing is impossible and a dysons sphere may be less than a million years away. Remember, technology progresses exponentially.

 

[jmilsom]

It would need to very good at radiating heat away, otherwise it be like an oven. The Dyson 5000X stellar kiln.<br /><br />I note in ALPs link that it would need to a <i>million</i> miles thick to be stable!!! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[a_lost_packet_]

Of course, as they say, by the time you are able to build a Dyson sphere, you don't need to. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="1">I put on my robe and wizard hat...</font> </div>