Catching up to time

[Guest]

Hi

Would it be time travel if you were able to hover in spacecraft & watch the earth move away at what ever speed, stay there hovering for say 30 days, then take a short cut back to earth (Add the string to the bow)or travel back at a faster speed?. You would both experience the 30 day wait, But the trip back will be shorter for the craft. When the craft departs for the return joyrney it will write down the same time as earth (End of 30 days)and on return it would take a shorter, straighter path to the meeting place say 2 days while the earth may have taken 3 days on the round trip.

I think there is some time issue here, But I dont quite know!

Thanks
Rob

 

[Guest]

Hi

After further thought I now see that from the departure time for the return journey that both the earth & the craft will experience the same time, But a different total distance covered, So its not really time travel!

Sorry

Thanks
Rob

 

[Guest]

Re:Re:Catching up to time

Not entirely true.

The effect you refer to in the original post is called Time Dilation and it is a very real and measured, proven effect.

It is dependent on the relative velocities of the 2 bodies (in this case Earth and you spacecraft) to each other.

Your craft returns to earth FASTER than the Earth left, otherwise you never "catch up". The dilation will occur. The amount will depend on your acceleration & velocity and the distance you have engage in it to get to the destination.

It is an example of the classic "twins" paradox which is really not a paradox at all since the effect is very real.