Glasgow University Astrosoc presents

30th Oct 2001

The PhysicsThe Physicsofof

Star WarsStar Wars

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away…

The Physics of

The Physics of Star WarsThe Physics of Star Wars

Spaceships

Weapons

Droids and technology

Planets and star systems

“Travelling through hyperspace ain’t like dusting crops, boy…”

Interstellar TravelInterstellar TravelSpeed of light = 186,000 miles per secondSpeed of light = 186,000 miles per second

= 300,000 km per second= 300,000 km per second

Distance to nearest star = 4.3 light years, Distance to nearest star = 4.3 light years, or or 25,000,000,000,000 miles25,000,000,000,000 miles

There are about There are about 100,000,000,000100,000,000,000 stars in stars in our Milky Way galaxyour Milky Way galaxy

Einstein’s RelativityEinstein’s Relativity

Matter causes space Matter causes space to to curvecurve or or warpwarp

HyperspaceHyperspace

““What time does What time does Oxford reach this Oxford reach this train?”train?”

HyperspaceHyperspace

““What time does What time does Oxford reach this Oxford reach this train?”train?”

““What time does What time does Alderaan reach the Alderaan reach the Falcon?”Falcon?”

Tatooine Alderaan

Tatooine Alderaan

Tatooine Alderaan

Tatooine Alderaan

Tatooine Alderaan

Tatooine Alderaan

The Runaway The Runaway UniverseUniverse

Martin HendryUniversity of Glasgow

Dates for your Diary:-Dates for your Diary:-

Wed 31Wed 31stst Oct – PHYSOC lecture Oct – PHYSOC lecture Room 257 4pmRoom 257 4pm

Wed 21Wed 21stst Nov – Dept. Colloquium Nov – Dept. ColloquiumRoom 222 4pmRoom 222 4pm

AntigravityAntigravity

Gravity is an Gravity is an attractive attractive forceforce

We feel weight when We feel weight when we are we are acceleratedaccelerated

1g = 10 metres per 1g = 10 metres per second per secondsecond per second

Anakin’s Anakin’s podracer podracer accelerates from accelerates from 0-600mph in 2 0-600mph in 2 seconds: a g-seconds: a g-force of about force of about 13g13g

Death StarsDeath StarsPower needed to destroy Alderaan in 0.25 Power needed to destroy Alderaan in 0.25 seconds = seconds = 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 MW1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 MW

This equals the This equals the total power output total power output of the Sun for of the Sun for ~~100,000 years100,000 years

Power of the Death StarPower of the Death StarLaser pen Laser pen = 1mW= 1mWLight Bulb Light Bulb = 100W= 100WElectric Heater Electric Heater = 1kW= 1kWWind FarmWind Farm = 1MW= 1MWLightning Bolt Lightning Bolt = 1GW= 1GWLargest LaserLargest Laser = 1000TW= 1000TW

The Death Star has the The Death Star has the power of a million million power of a million million million million million million million million lightning boltslightning bolts

“”Less clumsy or random than a blaster; an elegant weapon, for a more civilised age”

Lightsabres andLightsabres andBlastersBlasters

Laser beams or Laser beams or plasma beams?plasma beams?

““We don’t serve their kind here!”

DroidsDroidsDroids have a vital role in the Star Wars Droids have a vital role in the Star Wars Universe, serving many different, highly Universe, serving many different, highly specialised, functions, e.g.:-specialised, functions, e.g.:-

Astro-droids (R2-D2)Astro-droids (R2-D2)

Interpreters (C3-PO)Interpreters (C3-PO)

Soldiers (Battle droids)Soldiers (Battle droids)

Their presence often breeds resentment Their presence often breeds resentment and mistrustand mistrust

CommunicationsCommunicationsC3PO and R2-D2 communicate C3PO and R2-D2 communicate through sound – no through sound – no internet internet connections!!connections!!

Droid army Droid army operated operated from orbiting from orbiting Control Ship Control Ship

HologramsHolograms

NavigationNavigationFinding your exact Finding your exact position in the position in the galaxy is a huge galaxy is a huge computational computational task.task.

Requires 50 billion Requires 50 billion Mbytes of disk space, or Mbytes of disk space, or 77 million CD-roms77 million CD-roms

10000 years on a 10000 years on a Pentium IV computer!Pentium IV computer!

(Also needs (Also needs 3-D star maps of the galaxy)

“Well, if there’s a bright centre to the Universe you’re on the planet that it’s farthest from…”

TatooineTatooine

Possible orbits of Tatooine, Possible orbits of Tatooine, Tatoo 1 and Tatoo 2Tatoo 1 and Tatoo 2

HothHoth

EndorEndor

YavinYavin

NabooNaboo

CoruscantCoruscant