From: snyder@henry.ece.cmu.edu (John Snyder)
Subject: Re: UFO EVIDENCE VS. Carl Sagan
Organization: Physics Department, Carnegie Mellon University
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1992 03:18:36 GMT

In article <1992Nov18.225022.8696@sfu.ca> palmer@sfu.ca (Leigh Palmer) writes:
>In article <1992Nov18.185422.1598@fs7.ece.cmu.edu> snyder@henry.ece.cmu.edu
>(John Snyder) writes:
>>In article <kkretsch.721999974@unix1.tcd.ie> kkretsch@unix1.tcd.ie (kevin
>patrick kretsch) writes:
>>>In <16NOV199212515920@utkvx2.utk.edu> djpegg@utkvx2.utk.edu (PEGG, DAVID J)
>writes:
>>>
>>>>In article <kkretsch.721932625@unix1.tcd.ie>, kkretsch@unix1.tcd.ie (kevin
>patrick kretsch) writes...
>>>>>         Apparrently, the most closely guarded secret
>>>>>in the U.S. government regards how the UFOs were 
>>>>>powered. This, I believe, involves harnessing the
>>>>>potential energy of the earth's magnetic field.
>>>
>>>>The obvious question is:
>>>>      If they're powered by the earth's magnetic field, how
>>>>did they get to earth in the first place
>>>
>>>All right David, perhaps I should have generalised the statement.
>>>Let's say the following:
>>>              .....Powered by harnessing the potential energy of
>>>the magnetic field of an arbitrary planet.
>>
>>However the question remains:  What do they do between planets, out in space,
>>travelling the mostly empty space between solar systems?  The (mainly dipole)
>>magnetic field of a planet dies-off rather quickly with distance (something
>>like 1/r**3).  So, how are they powered out there?
>>
>>Or do they use an entirely different type of starship, and the UFO's that
>>we see are merely "shuttlecraft"?
>>
>>Enquiring minds want to know...
>
>I hope I won't be mistaken for a UFO believer, but I thought I'd point out
>that, according to modern theory (I. Newton, q.v.), one doesn't *need* power
                                                     ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>between the planets. 
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Well, between the planets, one still has to worry about escaping the sun's
gravitational field.  Does the sun have sufficient magnetic field to provide
for this magnetic-field powered space craft?  And out in space, will all
astronomical objects with large gravititional fields also have large
magnetic fields?

And what about maneuvering?  Will one encounter *NO* asteroids and/or comets?
(I seem to remember that enough of these things cross the earth's orbit
that some people want to mount a "Star Wars" defense system against them.)
And what about course corrections?

I believe that our friend Newton stated that in order to accelerate,
one must provide a force (or at least that's how I read his Second Law).


>One of the biggest kicks I get out of "Star Trek" is all
>of the fighter-pilot maneuvering they do out there. It appears you have bought
>that specification for "starships", yet you doubt their existence. Are
>planetary magnetic fields a less likely source of "energy" than "dilithium
>crystals"?
>

I have bought nothing of the kind.  Dilithium crystals are obviously nonsense.
I am merely using the language of Star Trek to convey the point one would
need a separate source of power for one's deep space ship than the planetary
magnetic fields that would power one's planetary lander.  Star Trek was
an entertaining program that many of us watched.  It had an interesting
and likeable ensemble of characters.  It has become *much* more popular
in re-runs than it ever was as an original show.  Why do you find it
upsetting that I use a little colorful Star Trek language while
discussing UFO's?

John
snyder@henry.ece.cmu.edu


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