jonab@sdcrdcf.UUCP (07/11/83)
A sphere is the logical shape for the Death Star. The sphere has the largest volume for its surface area, therefore they get the most working volume for the station with the least expense in materials.
spy@wdl1.UUCP (07/16/83)
You say that a sphere is the logical shape for the Death Star because it has the least surface area per volume and therefore requires less material for the same useful space. This is not true. Since the Death Star is solid and not a shell, it would have a fairly constant ratio of material to useful space. I would guess that one of the best reasons for making it a sphere is because it is large enough to have a significant natural gravity and a sphere would be best suited structuraly to the pull. Steve Young (spy)
halle1@houxz.UUCP (07/18/83)
Spy would never make it as one. He is wrong on all counts. The star is not solid but full of emptyness, so to speak. Consequently, the fact that the surface is small relative to the volume is important. This is true for all levels of the Death Star, if you think of it as successive shells. Also, there is no significant gravitation from the mass of the star. Its size is no bigger than a small planet, and its density is many orders of magnitude less. Consequently, gravity is unmeasureable. In addition, as you get closer to the center of mass, the gravitational attraction decreases, reaching zero at the center. Thus the spherical shape has no measurable effect on the gravitational fields.
mabgarstin@watcgl.UUCP (MAB Garstin) (07/21/83)
Sorry halle1@houxz but an object that size would generate a conciderable
gravity about it. It has been shown that if two battleships are placed side-by-
side in a slip with about a foot between them they will slowly pull each other
together due to their mutual gravities. Now multiply that by the size of the
Death Star and I think that you'll find a fair degree of gravity being
generated, one that would at least need serious concideration in any design
venture of the vessel.
Would any of the net.space readers out there please post that equation for
calculating the mutual gravitational attraction between two objects and could
some of you other readers give a few wild guesses as to the mass of the Death
Star so that we can grind it through the equation and get an idea in terms of
% of earth gravity that that hunk of metal would be emitting.
MAB
(in the lab)jonab@sdcrdcf.UUCP (Jonathan Biggar) (07/26/83)
1) A sphere has the smallest ratio of surface area to volume, thus
it is the best shape for building a large object with the minimum
amount of material.
2) The gravity of the Death Star could not come from its mass. Look
closely at the docking bay next time you see the movie. It is
oriented 90 degrees off from the way it would have to be in order
to take advantage of gravity. (There has to be some form of
artificial gravity instead.)