Light sabres (was TIE-Fighters etc.) (1998/01/18)

Light sabres (was TIE-Fighters etc.)

Posted by David C. on 1998/01/18 22:19

I have just been to Hell and back (ie. I've spent the weekend at home in
Worthing, W.Sussex) and already I'm putting my spoke in again!
Apologies in advance.

Now I'm sure the Star Wars experts will be able to correct me on this (I
have seen the films and read "Heir to the Empire", "Dark Force Rising"
and "The Last Command", so I'm not an absolute expert), but could, by
any chance, light sabres only work when used by someone with whom the
Force is strong? This would explain the unusual properties, eg. being
able to deflect "blaster" bolts and each other etc. True, Han uses one
to slice open a taun-taun (how can The Empire Strikes Back be only a "U"
when it includes this, and Luke getting his hand sliced off?!), but he's
close to Luke at the time! Or perhaps he's another Jedi son and doesn't
know it yet...

I know, I'm talking cobblers again - sorry! But I refuse to believe
that they are a bunch of simple lasers. For them to cancel each other
out at only one point, they would have to be all of different
frequencies which only cancel out at one point, meaning they also
interfere constructively and destructively (ie. reinforcing and
cancelling out) all along the length of the sabre! Furthermore, after
the point where they cancel each other out, they'd just carry on again
for another length, and another (you can't stop light just like that
without some sort of barrier if it's being constantly produced!). I may
not have gotten an "A" for my physics A-level (it was modular - that is
my defence, m'lud!), but I know this much! Or is a Physics degree like
a chemistry A-level - do they tell you that everything you learned at
the previous level was a complete lie?

By the way, Andrew Wren - or should I say, Rassilon? When are you going
to grow that beard and develop a deep voice? (Like the big floating
head that appears at the end of The Five Doctors - you know, that story
they showed during Children in Need! Oh, never mind...)

Incidentally, people, haven't we already explained why planets explode
and produce rings already? It's because they explode out the weakest
points, ie. the equators, 'cos of centripetal or centrifugal or whatever
force! NOT just 'cos it looks pretty! Incidentally, doesn't the
exploding planet or whatever at the end of Stargate look suspiciously
like the Klingon moon of Praxis exploding at the start of Star Trek
VI...? (It's not quite the same as the Klingon ship exploding in
Generations being the same one as in STVI, is it?)

That's all I shall say for now - good night! I expect no less than
twenty mails in my "IFIS Circulars" folder when I return tomorrow!

David Chilard

"Schizophrenic Sydney: Wanted for Armed Robbery - Dead And/Or Alive"

Light sabres (was TIE-Fighters etc.)

Posted by Gordan Bobich on 1998/01/19 09:58

On Sunday, January 18, 1998 10:19 PM, Chilard D
[SMTP:D.Chilard@] wrote:

Now I'm sure the Star Wars experts will be able to correct me on
this (I
have seen the films and read "Heir to the Empire", "Dark Force
Rising"
and "The Last Command", so I'm not an absolute expert), but could,
by
any chance, light sabres only work when used by someone with whom
the
Force is strong? This would explain the unusual properties, eg.
being
able to deflect "blaster" bolts and each other etc. True, Han uses
one
to slice open a taun-taun (how can The Empire Strikes Back be only

a

"U"
when it includes this, and Luke getting his hand sliced off?!), but
he's
close to Luke at the time! Or perhaps he's another Jedi son and
doesn't
know it yet...

I know, I'm talking cobblers again - sorry! But I refuse to
believe
that they are a bunch of simple lasers. For them to cancel each
other
out at only one point, they would have to be all of different
frequencies which only cancel out at one point, meaning they also
interfere constructively and destructively (ie. reinforcing and
cancelling out) all along the length of the sabre! Furthermore,
after
the point where they cancel each other out, they'd just carry on
again
for another length, and another (you can't stop light just like
that
without some sort of barrier if it's being constantly produced!).

I

may
not have gotten an "A" for my physics A-level (it was modular -

that

is
my defence, m'lud!), but I know this much! Or is a Physics degree
like
a chemistry A-level - do they tell you that everything you learned
at
the previous level was a complete lie?

I cannot comment on what the Star Wars makers intended for the sabres
to be like, but if you have, say, two lasers, continuously firing
from one point, if you offset one of them by exactly half a phase
(get it into anti-phase), at the point where they meet, they will
cancel each other out by interfering destructively. But, this is only
true for the point where they meet. The sabre is probabyl hollow in
the middle, and the lasers are focused to the mength of, say, a meter
and a half. So, at the distance of 1.5m from the handle, the laser
beams will meet, and cancel each other.

Gordan

Light sabres (was TIE-Fighters etc.)

Posted by Jim Smart on 1998/01/19 18:16

If people want to know about light-sabres I sugest that they read Kevin
Andersons 'Jedi Acadamy' Trilogy which has Lukes students making their own.

If I remember rightly it's something to do with light (lasers) being focused
through a gem of some sort. The colour of the sabre relates to the type of
gem.

I think that it is in the second book.

Theres my addition to this discussion.

Cheers,

Jim.
-----Original Message-----
From: Gordan Bobic <gordan@>
To: 'ifis-chat@' <ifis-chat@>
Date: 19 January 1998 10:06
Subject: RE: Light sabres (was Re: TIE-Fighters etc.)

On Sunday, January 18, 1998 10:19 PM, Chilard D
[SMTP:D.Chilard@] wrote:

Now I'm sure the Star Wars experts will be able to correct me on
this (I
have seen the films and read "Heir to the Empire", "Dark Force
Rising"
and "The Last Command", so I'm not an absolute expert), but could,
by
any chance, light sabres only work when used by someone with whom
the
Force is strong? This would explain the unusual properties, eg.
being
able to deflect "blaster" bolts and each other etc. True, Han uses
one
to slice open a taun-taun (how can The Empire Strikes Back be only

a

"U"
when it includes this, and Luke getting his hand sliced off?!), but
he's
close to Luke at the time! Or perhaps he's another Jedi son and
doesn't
know it yet...

I know, I'm talking cobblers again - sorry! But I refuse to
believe
that they are a bunch of simple lasers. For them to cancel each
other
out at only one point, they would have to be all of different
frequencies which only cancel out at one point, meaning they also
interfere constructively and destructively (ie. reinforcing and
cancelling out) all along the length of the sabre! Furthermore,
after
the point where they cancel each other out, they'd just carry on
again
for another length, and another (you can't stop light just like
that
without some sort of barrier if it's being constantly produced!).

I

may
not have gotten an "A" for my physics A-level (it was modular -

that

is
my defence, m'lud!), but I know this much! Or is a Physics degree
like
a chemistry A-level - do they tell you that everything you learned
at
the previous level was a complete lie?

I cannot comment on what the Star Wars makers intended for the sabres
to be like, but if you have, say, two lasers, continuously firing
from one point, if you offset one of them by exactly half a phase
(get it into anti-phase), at the point where they meet, they will
cancel each other out by interfering destructively. But, this is only
true for the point where they meet. The sabre is probabyl hollow in
the middle, and the lasers are focused to the mength of, say, a meter
and a half. So, at the distance of 1.5m from the handle, the laser
beams will meet, and cancel each other.

Gordan

Light sabres (was TIE-Fighters etc.)

Posted by Martin G. on 1998/01/20 16:50

On Mon, 19 Jan 1998, Jim Smart wrote:

If people want to know about light-sabres I sugest that they read Kevin
Andersons 'Jedi Acadamy' Trilogy which has Lukes students making their own.

If I remember rightly it's something to do with light (lasers) being focused
through a gem of some sort. The colour of the sabre relates to the type of
gem.

I think that it is in the second book.

Theres my addition to this discussion.

Just getting to the second book.....

I thought it had to be something like that, they let us discuss it, and
when we come up with a shortlist of things it could never possibly be,
they tell us its the least plausible. Huh.

Martin

Light sabres (was TIE-Fighters etc.)

Posted by Martin G. on 1998/01/19 12:38

On Sun, 18 Jan 1998, Chilard D wrote:

Now I'm sure the Star Wars experts will be able to correct me on this (I
have seen the films and read "Heir to the Empire", "Dark Force Rising"
and "The Last Command", so I'm not an absolute expert), but could, by
any chance, light sabres only work when used by someone with whom the
Force is strong? This would explain the unusual properties, eg. being
able to deflect "blaster" bolts and each other etc. True, Han uses one
to slice open a taun-taun (how can The Empire Strikes Back be only a "U"
when it includes this, and Luke getting his hand sliced off?!), but he's
close to Luke at the time! Or perhaps he's another Jedi son and doesn't
know it yet...

No, the properties of the laser account for the slicing open of the taun
taun. The deflecting of blaster bolts is a different matter, as is the
"solidity" agtainst another lightsaber. Also in truce at bakura Luke uses
the lightsaber to 'bend' the beam from the paddles. This would not be
caused by just a laser. So it is a laser weapon, butthe interesting parts
must be down to the force itself.

I know, I'm talking cobblers again - sorry! But I refuse to believe
that they are a bunch of simple lasers. For them to cancel each other
out at only one point, they would have to be all of different
frequencies which only cancel out at one point, meaning they also
interfere constructively and destructively (ie. reinforcing and
cancelling out) all along the length of the sabre! Furthermore, after
the point where they cancel each other out, they'd just carry on again
for another length, and another (you can't stop light just like that
without some sort of barrier if it's being constantly produced!). I may
not have gotten an "A" for my physics A-level (it was modular - that is
my defence, m'lud!), but I know this much!

True. interference, destructive or constructive only occurs at specified
points, and does not terminate the em radiation from that point on.
Surely , Gordan, you know that!!!!!

"Schizophrenic Sydney: Wanted for Armed Robbery - Dead And/Or Alive"

:)

Martin

Light sabres (was TIE-Fighters etc.)

Posted by Gordan Bobich on 1998/01/19 13:14

Martin Greenaway wrote:

On Sun, 18 Jan 1998, Chilard D wrote:

Now I'm sure the Star Wars experts will be able to correct me on this (I
have seen the films and read "Heir to the Empire", "Dark Force Rising"
and "The Last Command", so I'm not an absolute expert), but could, by
any chance, light sabres only work when used by someone with whom the
Force is strong? This would explain the unusual properties, eg. being
able to deflect "blaster" bolts and each other etc. True, Han uses one
to slice open a taun-taun (how can The Empire Strikes Back be only a "U"
when it includes this, and Luke getting his hand sliced off?!), but he's
close to Luke at the time! Or perhaps he's another Jedi son and doesn't
know it yet...

No, the properties of the laser account for the slicing open of the taun
taun. The deflecting of blaster bolts is a different matter, as is the
"solidity" agtainst another lightsaber. Also in truce at bakura Luke uses
the lightsaber to 'bend' the beam from the paddles. This would not be
caused by just a laser. So it is a laser weapon, butthe interesting parts
must be down to the force itself.

Perhaps... But there may well be an additional force field in there
somewhere that accounts for all that... I just don't like this idea of
mixing technology and magic - it really messes up my brain...

I know, I'm talking cobblers again - sorry! But I refuse to believe
that they are a bunch of simple lasers. For them to cancel each other
out at only one point, they would have to be all of different
frequencies which only cancel out at one point, meaning they also
interfere constructively and destructively (ie. reinforcing and
cancelling out) all along the length of the sabre! Furthermore, after
the point where they cancel each other out, they'd just carry on again
for another length, and another (you can't stop light just like that
without some sort of barrier if it's being constantly produced!). I may
not have gotten an "A" for my physics A-level (it was modular - that is
my defence, m'lud!), but I know this much!

True. interference, destructive or constructive only occurs at specified
points, and does not terminate the em radiation from that point on.
Surely , Gordan, you know that!!!!!

Well, I never said my explanation was complete/correct. I am very
willing to accept any reasonably sounding "scientific" explanation of
such a weapon... Not that I am expecting one... ;)

Gordan

Light sabres (was TIE-Fighters etc.)

Posted by Martin G. on 1998/01/19 13:28

True. interference, destructive or constructive only occurs at specified
points, and does not terminate the em radiation from that point on.
Surely , Gordan, you know that!!!!!

Well, I never said my explanation was complete/correct. I am very
willing to accept any reasonably sounding "scientific" explanation of
such a weapon... Not that I am expecting one... ;)

Well, come on, this is Hollywood, they don't understand science. It quite
amuses me to see us actually trying to develop scientific theories around
the things they create!!!!

Not that i would object to having a lightsaber, of course, there are a few
people who would find that out soon enough <cue ghostly message: remember,
hatred is of the DARK SIDE. Oh bog off>

Martin