At the heart of much speculative fiction (and fiction in general) is a question. What if? On Tuesdays I like to throw one out there and see what you make of it. Do with it as you please. If a for-instance is not specified, feel free to interpret that instance as you wish. And if you find this becomes a novel-length answer, I'd appreciate a thank you in the acknowledgements ;)
What if the distances to other stars was just an illusion?
Today's A to Z Challenge post brought to you by the letter...
It's not? Next you're going to ask me, what if the earth being flat is just an illusion, too. And Santa? How about him? This is a hard start to Tuesday for me.
ReplyDeleteSorry. Didn't mean to disillusion you.
Deletewow
ReplyDeleteJust a question...
DeleteThen maybe we would be able to go and visit them?
ReplyDeletebetty
Perhaps...
DeleteThat would be really cool. Then the spaceships in my books really wouldn't have to travel faster than light years.
ReplyDeleteWow, that concept is out of this world.
ReplyDeleteAnother wonderful place to plan a vacation! Maybe!!
ReplyDeleteMaybe
DeleteHmmm-they are not real or they are just 10 miles away? If they are just 10 miles away, we humans are truly stupid.:)
ReplyDeleteNot real is a possibility. If just 10 miles away, there'd be a reason why we don't see through that illusion.
DeleteIf distance is the illusion, then they must be a lot smaller and not nearly as hot as our sun.
ReplyDeleteThat's possible.
DeleteI get burned enough from the Sun
ReplyDeleteYeah, well me too. But I wasn't thinking about the sun. But then again, I didn't specify that...
DeleteIf distance was an illusion, than time would be as well. And reality itself, for that matter.
ReplyDeleteHmm you got me thinking :) Thanks Liz!
ReplyDeleteThat's the idea.
DeleteFascinating. Let's think about it. First, why is an illustion? Were we on the Planet Earth exiled for some reason, and the illusion is to make sure we never try to leave? You would have to think the illusion was something created by others - not natural. Alana ramblinwitham.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteGood point. And that's how a seemingly simple what if turns into a novel.
DeleteThat would almost make sense. When you look up into the night sky, doesn't it seem sometimes you could just reach up and pluck them out of the sky?
ReplyDeletePerhaps that's part of the illusion.
DeleteThat would be awesome, but...who or what has made this illusion real enough that all our scientists and mathematicians have been fooled?
ReplyDeleteWhen you look up into the night sky on a clear night, you could almost believe this to be true
ReplyDeleteDebbie
Yeah, it does kind of look like a ceiling, doesn't it?
DeleteQuantum Physicists theorize that distances between the stars could become a moot point as if they were illusions. They theorize that space may be able to folded like fabric so that if we discover the needful principles, we could go light years in a single step of our feet. Amazing, huh? :-)
ReplyDeleteQuantum physics is weird. And I studied physics in college, so I know of what I speak.
DeleteThen we'd better stock up on SPF.
ReplyDelete??? I don't understand why. The sun is the same distance.
DeleteI have to say that this type of thing gives me a headache so I will compliment your lovely letters instead.
ReplyDeleteFair enough.
DeleteWhen I was a kid my mom would freak me out with "what if" questions. Her favorite was, "What if your whole life is just a dream?"
ReplyDeleteShelly @ http://hangryfork.com
I've done that one. Well, similar.
DeleteDepends who your asking not many things in world is truly black and white.
ReplyDeleteCoffee is on
True...
DeleteI'm good still not visiting them. lol Space freaks me out.
ReplyDeleteWait. There are other stars?
ReplyDeletekidding. It would be quite interesting if they were closer than expected. Not sure I'd visit, but still..
Mary
#AtoZChallenge V is for Vail
I don't know if they'd be close enough to visit necessarily.
DeleteIf they are closer than you think, then maybe we should all reconsider those tall hats and kite flying could be the new mining.
ReplyDeleteI don't think they'd be that close.
DeleteThe Flat Earth Society think that we are covered with a dome and astral bodies are just projections and that the moon landing was fake. Personally looking up at stars terrifies me when I think about how huge the universe is.
ReplyDeleteThe Flat Earth Society is just crazy. Although, that's an interesting idea for a future what if...
DeleteAnd we allude ourselves to think we have a clue.
ReplyDeleteLOVE those letters Liz, did you knit those?
Yes, I did. For last year's challenge. I'm reusing them this year (and next year if I decide to take up the challenge again).
DeleteI wonder if it would make astronomy more complicated.
ReplyDeleteMuch. Because the current paradigm is predicated on the current understanding of the size. It would require a major paradigm shift similar to the one that placed the sun at the center of the solar system. It would be a mess in scientific circles.
DeleteI find space completely mind-blowing because of its size. Every time I go to a planetarium I get overwhelmed. I don't think my tiny brain is big enough to comprehend something so huge.
ReplyDeleteAny spare sweaters would be most welcome on this cold North sea coast in Norfolk England, do pop by No190 on the AtoZ
ReplyDeleteI don't knit many sweaters.
DeleteI'm having a hard time wrapping my head around this one. Like Kate, I'm not sure my brain is big enough to comprehend it. :)
ReplyDeleteIf the distance between stars was an illusion, then their solar systems would be closer or they would be very small. Perhaps they are firefly small, up there sparkling.
ReplyDeleteFinding Eliza