What if, the speed of the Earth's orbit were to increase to 99.99% of the speed of light?
The Earth would be flung out of the Solar System, as we suddenly exceed the Solar Escape velocity ( 42 k m / s ) by several orders of magnitude. Within 3 minutes we will be outside the orbit of Mars. Within an hour we will have passed Jupiter. Within 5 hours, the Earth will be outside the orbit of Pluto. Within 16 hours, we will have overtaken Voyager 2. Within 19 hours we will have overtaken Voyager 1. Depending on the above given definition, we will leave the solar system some time between 17 hours and two days. At this point there’s a whopping great gap, as the planet cruises through interstellar space. Depending on what direction you head in, you may reach the following milestones (you won’t reach all of them, because they’re in opposite directions!) By the time Donald Trump’s first (only?) term ends (2021), we will have reached our nearest neighbour, Proxima Centauri in the α α -Centauri system By the time that the first Mickey ...
