Dyson Sphere

While the idea of harnessing energy from the Sun as one of the top solutions once we eventually consume our planet’s supply of fossil fuel is run of the mill, encapsulating the entire Sun with a shell of solar panels is practically impossible and downright impractical. However, you may have read this concept in sci-fi stories where it is erroneously called a Dyson Sphere.

A Dyson Sphere is actually a hypothetical structure proposed by a physicist named Freeman Dyson. However, unlike the solid sphere that sci-fi authors describe, Dyson’s original sphere was supposed to be a vast network of solar energy collectors – or satellites, if you want.

Although the satellites would be spread out around the Sun or a star, they would not in any way cover it entirely. The number of solar power satellites to be used would be so enormous that the whole network would be more aptly called a swarm. Hence, some people use the term Dyson Swarm instead.

Using a swarm of independently floating satellites has many advantages. The more practical being that we would be able to add more satellites gradually, or as our funds will allow. Another advantage is that each satellite would be autonomous enough to move to a better position when needed.

One initial step towards coming up with the swarm configuration may be the construction of a Dyson Ring, i.e., a chain of solar power satellites forming a ring around the Sun. More rings may be added as needed until the configuration would more or less resemble the swarm mentioned earlier.

The science fiction version of the Dyson Sphere describes it as a solid shell completely enclosing a star. Having this kind of configuration (assuming it is possible) has obvious benefits. First, it would be easy to capture 100% of the star’s radiated energy since the electromagnetic radiation has nowhere to go but the inner surface of the sphere. Second, if the shell were somehow very sturdy enough, it would be used for habitation.

When Dyson first published his idea of such a sphere (the swarm type), he mentioned how it may be already used by other intelligent lifeforms in the Universe. Hence, he suggested that the moment we find such structures, it would be a sign that an extraterrestrial civilization could be found in its vicinity.

If you’re just curious how the Dyson Sphere was depicted in fictional stories, try out Star Trek: The Next Generation in the episode ‘Relics’.

We have some articles in Universe Today related to the Dyson Sphere. Here are two of them:

• Russia Proposes Mission to Search for Evidence of Astroengineering
• Giant Soap Bubble In Space

Articles touching on the Dyson Sphere brought to you by NASA and Physics World. Here are the links:

• The Colonization of Space
• The search for astroengineers

Tired eyes? Let your ears help you learn for a change. Here are some episodes from Astronomy Cast that just might suit your taste:

• The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence
• Advanced Propulsion Systems

Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dyson_sphere

Tagged as: Dyson Ring, Dyson Sphere, Dyson Swarm, mega engineering, solar energy, solar panels, Star, sun