Chapter 205: Touching…the Black Hole (1)
Chapter 205 – Touching…the Black Hole (1)
Psh…
White mist escaped from the maintenance pod as the hatch slowly opened.
[Air pressure normal. You may enter the cabin.]
After receiving the instruction, Chen Yu got into the cabin and put on the purple protective suit.
The next moment, robotic arms danced around him as they installed pieces of white armor all over his body.
Psh…
The hatch opened once more, and Chen Yu stepped out of the cabin. He then looked at the camera and said, “After finding out about the black hole, I tried locating it using the Interstellar Portal without any success. The portal’s database doesn’t have the information on the black hole’s position and orbit. I don’t know the black hole’s five-dimensional coordinates either, so locating it will be incredibly difficult.
“However, during the past week, I figured out a way to locate it.”
Approaching the portal, Chen Yu called out the virtual projection of the Earth. He then repeatedly zoomed out until the projection displayed the entire Solar System.
“And that is to head to Sedna, a celestial body that is affected by the black hole, to feel the black hole’s gravitational force and determine its position.”
After saying so, Chen Yu swiped his finger across the projection and located a pink asteroid—Sedna.
“Right here.”
Buzz!
Five seconds later, the s.p.a.ce inside the metal arch distorted momentarily. A pink planet then appeared on the screens of the livestream’s seven million viewers.
[Another journey on the road of troublemaking has begun.]
[I don’t know whether I should be grateful for being able to see a black hole with my own eyes in my lifetime…]
[What is a black hole?]
[I only care about that asteroid that’s going to hit Earth.]
[Can’t we blow it up with nukes?]
[Waiting for the UP to save the world…]
“Hu…”
Chen Yu took a deep breath to calm his nerves. He then stepped through the portal and traveled across hundreds of millions of kilometers into outer s.p.a.ce.
In the next instant, the noise coming from his surroundings disappeared.
At this moment, the only thing he could hear was the sound of his heartbeat.
“This, is the asteroid Sedna, or designation 2003 VB12. It is over 80 astronomical units away from the sun, and it is currently the most distant asteroid mankind has discovered. Of course, in another two decades or so, mankind will find an even farther asteroid named Gisella, which is also the asteroid the black hole will drag into the Solar System.
“However, instead of calling it Gisella, I think it is better to call it Thanatos (the name of the G.o.d of death) because human civilization is likely to suffer severe damages because of it.
“Sedna is one of the reddest celestial bodies in the Solar System. Its surface is composed of water, methane, nitrogen, and tholin. Our target this time isn’t Sedna, though, so just a brief introduction of it will do.”
After saying so, Chen Yu ignored the pink world under his feet and turned to look into the deep s.p.a.ce in search of traces of the black hole.
“Many numerical values are currently displayed inside my helmet, one of which shows several data sets of the surrounding gravitational changes. The largest source of gravitation is undoubtedly Sedna, while the second-largest source is the sun. As for the third-largest source…”
Under the gaze of the world’s government officials, astronomers, and the livestream’s seven million viewers, Chen Yu suddenly raised his hand and pointed in a particular direction!
“There!”
Chen Yu turned the camera and aimed it into the deep and dark s.p.a.ce.
Aside from darkness, however, nothing else existed there.
“That place is the Solar System’s edge, and neither Jupiter nor Saturn are in that direction. That place isn’t in the orbital plane either…
“It seems we found it quite easily.
“The black hole.”
[Amazing…]
[We can’t see the black hole, so we can only find it using gravity.]
[The black hole’s accretion disk is luminous!]
[Apparently, this black hole doesn’t have an accretion disk. ( ͡°͜ʖ͡°)]
[Why are you looking for the black hole? Hurry up and solve that asteroid!]
[The black hole’s existence must be confirmed first. Otherwise, the host will just be making empty talk.]
[I already believe him…]
Whoosh—
Activating the plasma engine, Chen Yu flew through the portal and returned to the island-building ship’s hall. He then quickly operated the portal’s virtual projection.
“Since we’ve determined the black hole’s general location, now all we need to do is advance in that direction…”
While saying so, Chen Yu finished adjusting the angle and distance of the spatial distortion. He then established the spatial link.
Buzz!
When the spatial link was established, the pink planet inside the portal turned into pure black s.p.a.ce.
Seeing this, Chen Yu walked out of the camera’s view and grabbed a large rock he had prepared in advance. “I’m sure I don’t need to explain the dangers of a black hole. For safety’s sake, I can only try my best to find an appropriate critical point.
“These rocks that I’ve prepared will be my method of testing for the critical point. We can determine the distance between me and the black hole based on the speed at which the rock is dragged by the black hole. I admit that this is an absurd and laughable method, but it is indeed effective.”
Chen Yu made a rare, self-deprecating shrug. He then gently moved the rock across the thin film separating the island-building ship and outer s.p.a.ce before removing his grip.
Afterward, the released rock started spinning and slowly advancing toward the black hole.
“Sure enough, the black hole is in front,” Chen Yu said in a serious tone. He then removed his left glove and swiped a finger across his watch’s screen. “Now, I need the help of the aeros.p.a.ce research inst.i.tute. I’m sure you guys are watching the livestream. I’ve previously given you access to privately message me. Please calculate the distance between me and the black hole based on the rock’s speed. The rock’s ma.s.s is about 10 kilograms.”
As soon as Chen Yu said so, the aeros.p.a.ce research inst.i.tute’s private message arrived.
“We already know the black hole’s ma.s.s, so the rock’s ma.s.s is not important. Please wait for a moment. The calculation is in progress.”
Seeing the private message, Chen Yu nodded, “Okay.”
…
Beijing, aeros.p.a.ce research inst.i.tute:
“Quick! Calculate it quickly!” the old director shouted as he slapped the table. “The black hole’s ma.s.s is 125 times the Earth! Make multiple calculations! There can be no mistakes!”
The researchers in the hall immediately started making the necessary calculations nervously.
“The black hole’s ma.s.s is 125 times the Earth, and the rock’s diameter is about 35 centimeters. Based on the rock’s shrinking rate, the initial falling speed is estimated to be about 0.3 meters per second. The universal gravitation formula is F=GMm/r^2, the gravitational constant is 6.67×1… The result is…”
“…”
“…”
After the sound of intensive keyboard tapping went on for half a minute, the five teams in the room simultaneously came up with their results.
“We got 1.2 million kilometers.”
“Director, we got 1.1 million kilometers.”
“We got 1.25 million.”
“We got 1.2 million kilometers here.”
“We got 0.4 light-years… W-Wait, let us recalculate.”
Not even bothering to reprimand the last team, the old director immediately sent Chen Yu a safe estimate based on the first four teams’ results.
…
“So, it’s 1.2 million kilometers away?”
After receiving the aeros.p.a.ce inst.i.tute’s reply, Chen Yu put on his glove and moved the spatial link forward by one million kilometers.
“The aeros.p.a.ce inst.i.tute’s result is 1.2 million kilometers. To be on the safe side, we’ll move the Interstellar Portal forward by one million kilometers.”
Five seconds later, the spatial link was successfully established.
Similar to before, a black s.p.a.ce existed beyond the portal.
Maybe it was because they realized they were only 200,000 kilometers away from the black hole, but the audience in the livestream rooms suddenly felt a chilling fear a.s.sault their hearts.
The black hole, one of the most extreme celestial bodies in the universe.
Humanity was finally about to “touch” it up close…