Category: Hiking in the Solar System
-
Could a nearby supernova extinguish life on Earth?
We’ve explored what would happen if our Sun went supernova [link]. Spoiler: while it would be lethal enough to necessitate evacuation to Pluto or beyond, it’s not the biggest headache for humankind today. But what if another star, not very far from our Solar System, exploded? We’ve seen that a supernova explosion could pose a…
-
What would happen if the Sun went supernova?
If the thought of our Sun going supernova ever occurred to me, I always assumed that Earth, from crust to the last inhabitant, would be instantly terminated. We’d see a gigantic fireball on the sky, and before we could say “supernova!”, we’d turn into hot vapour. Not long ago I read a short story that…
-
The 10 best exoplanets for setting up home
We went hiking in the Solar System [link], but what lies beyond? It’s hard to imagine now, but before the 1990s astronomers were not even certain that any other star hosted planets: discovering the first exoplanets in 1992 and 1994 made headlines, and they all got individual names (Poltergeist, Phobetor and Draugr, a variety of…
-
The Seven Summits of the Solar System
Conquering the seven highest peaks of seven continents on Earth is classic challenge to some, trodden path banality to others. It’s been done by at least 100, some estimate by 500 people, including by a 76-year old mountaineer, a married couple and a mother-daughter climbing pair. The current fastest record-holder bagged all seven peaks in…
-
The 7 best active holiday destinations in the Solar System
While Planet Earth certainly offers excellent hiking and adventure opportunities, none of these involve methane river rafting, a 20 kilometre-drop from a cliff top or cryovolcanoes [link]. On the other hand, only a handful of Earth peaks would call for wearing an oxygen mask, and no destination on the home planet would require a full…
-
Hiking on Pluto
Hiking on Pluto would bear similarities to hiking in the Himalaya on Earth. The tallest peaks on Pluto are even named after the first climbers to reach Mount Everest – Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary. The highest peak, at 6200 meters, is also comparable to Mount Everest if we consider this height base-to-top. It is…