The Colliding Body Problem

Day 2: Scanning Space
Transcript of a Personal Voice Log 

Sid, you are, in essence, the greatest physicist humanity has ever had. Every known astronomical fact and theory is available to you at the merest thought. I understand this is a new planetary system, that no one has ever observed these orbits before, but I have given you all the data I have. All the data the Bon Ki was able to pick up in the 24 hours since our arrival here. Nothing, no level of ignorance or misunderstanding of the parameters, can explain why you keep insisting that the 3rd and 4th planets are going to run into each other in seven months.

Planets just don’t do that kind of thing.

So there must be something wrong. Is it the data? You’ve been working with these sensors for months and you’ve never disliked their data before. Granted, you’ve never been outside our own well known solar system before, but I’ve seen you recreate that solar system with less data than I’m feeding you now. Yes, I know, we are pretty far out, and we are dealing with some pretty long stretches of space. But it’s the same old gravity. What if you run the simulation again without the 4th planet, what do the orbits look like then? Don’t rush, I need more coffee anyway.

Are you sure you don’t want any coffee? Because you’ve just simulated the 2nd planet running into the 3rd.

The captain is not going to be happy if I tell her we need another day of observation.

Then again, it’s going to take us a week before we even cross the orbital path of the first (or really the eleventh) planet. So it’s not like we don’t have the time. But with distances like these, even the smallest change in heading could add days to our total trip. Every day you stall, Sid, is another three or four days before we can do our actual job here. I know the deployment of the very first intersystem jumpgate means nothing to you, but if we fail here we die here. If we die here, no more simulations. The generators will eventually run out. And you, my obstinate friend, will end your computational existence without earning anything in the history books but a footnote.

You wanna try that simulation again, or should I shut you down and get out some pen and paper? A preschooler’s doodle would be more accurate than what you’re showing me now.

Doodles . . . . Wait a second – Sid, what if instead of showing the system based on what we can see, you show it based on what we can infer? Run the simulation again, but this time add in whatever it takes to make the planetary orbits stable. Got that?

Huh. Now that’s an interesting hypothesis. Two more planets, currently hidden behind solar radiation? The math certainly checks out. I’ll let the captain know we need to veer to solar port before our next scan.

Sid, I think this just might be the beginning of a beautiful partnership.