Topic: Dyson Sphere

[Farseer1020]

I am sorry if this has been mentioned somewhere else (The search feature does not seem to work) but, what is a/the Dyson Sphere?

Thank you

[Lomendil]

It's basically an artificial sphere constructed around a star. For (much) more detail, take a peek here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dyson_Spheres

[The GrimSqueaker]

An old idea. A Dyson Sphere is roughly a complete enclosure (in the shape of a sphere naturally) built around a sun so that the structure captures the entire sun's output. The sphere is, obviously, rather large in diametre and something that could only be constructed by an advanced race. The idea is that one a race develops to a certain level their energy needs are astronomical (yay, space pun) and thus they will attempt to capture as much energy as possible.

Star Trek has mentioned the spheres as have a number of SF novels.

[ElPhantasmo]

I remember reading around the boards here that the C'tan Outsider is in stasis inside a Dyson Sphere... anyone know the specifics?

[Kandarin]

I remember reading around the boards here that the C'tan Outsider is in stasis inside a Dyson Sphere... anyone know the specifics?

Yes, he's below the galactic plane and is moving along with Hive Fleet Leviathan.

[The GrimSqueaker]

Yes, he's below the galactic plane and is moving along with Hive Fleet Leviathan.

He's inside a Dyson Sphere (which is placed around a star), in stasis, and moving? That's quite a feat.

[Rasmus]

Yes, he's below the galactic plane and is moving along with Hive Fleet Leviathan.

He's inside a Dyson Sphere (which is placed around a star), in stasis, and moving? That's quite a feat.

  He is quite a C'tan as well, so that all matches up nicely.

[The GrimSqueaker]

So the star itself is mobile? Like the Worldship from Andromeda?

[Anatolian Guy]

After reading in wikipedia and watching the images, either the necrons are stupid or the dyson sphere is different in the 40k universe, or there is some insidious plan, because in the image I saw the dyson sphere is just 3m in thickness and I don't think the materials are strong enough as a ceramite wall, so if this is the case why haven't the necrons broke it?

And are there any planets inside the dyson sphere? just like the image in wikipedia?
And why haven't the c'tan consumed all of the star? is it too big? is it because he is in stasis?

[Kaliban La Rousse]

Umm here are a few amusing anecdotes on dyson spheres

http://www.schlockmercenary.com/d/20010702.html

http://www.schlockmercenary.com/d/20010707.html

http://www.schlockmercenary.com/d/20020421.html

Courtesy of Howard Taylor

[The GrimSqueaker]

After reading in wikipedia and watching the images, either the necrons are stupid or the dyson sphere is different in the 40k universe, or there is some insidious plan, because in the image I saw the dyson sphere is just 3m in thickness and I don't think the materials are strong enough as a ceramite wall, so if this is the case why haven't the necrons broke it?

And are there any planets inside the dyson sphere? just like the image in wikipedia?
And why haven't the c'tan consumed all of the star? is it too big? is it because he is in stasis?

Depending on the variety of sphere you're talking about, the thickness is entirely arbitary. It may be constructed to any specifications desired. The picture on Wiki was an example where the sphere is used to capture energy, not as a barrier or foundation. Other spheres have been described as giant hives where the entire shell itself is developed. Others merely concentrate on the planets inside (if there were destroyed to provide building materials) and merely use the sphere for power collection.

Pandora's Star, a good novel waiting for the finale to be written, used a Dyson Sphere as a prison for a race that wasn't to be allowed outside their own system. Humans became curious as they witnessed stars winking out (after being enclosed no visible light escapes so the star appears to vanish) and wanted to know/how and why.

[Kaliban La Rousse]

the example from Schlock mercenary uses the dyson spheres to make clone copies of people that pass through "wormgates" basically hyperspace portals.  it was also used to make copies of military hardware to destroy a fleet meh.  and seemingly is now starting to power a whole mini proto universe which is expanding to destroy the galaxy

[Rasmus]

After reading in wikipedia and watching the images, either the necrons are stupid or the dyson sphere is different in the 40k universe, or there is some insidious plan, because in the image I saw the dyson sphere is just 3m in thickness and I don't think the materials are strong enough as a ceramite wall, so if this is the case why haven't the necrons broke it?

And are there any planets inside the dyson sphere? just like the image in wikipedia?
And why haven't the c'tan consumed all of the star? is it too big? is it because he is in stasis?

   I think you are on to something there. The Outsider is hiberating in an energy-rich environment as he travels back int oteh galaxy. A Beacon-call is being sent out to all Tombworlds informing them that he is not ready, but also telling his brothers (the other C'tan) that he will still be strong enough to kill them outright if they wake him prematurely. The other C'tan, both being cowardly bastards in this case, are waiting for the otehr to do something about this growing threat.

[The Sleeper]

After reading in wikipedia and watching the images, either the necrons are stupid or the dyson sphere is different in the 40k universe, or there is some insidious plan, because in the image I saw the dyson sphere is just 3m in thickness and I don't think the materials are strong enough as a ceramite wall, so if this is the case why haven't the necrons broke it?

And are there any planets inside the dyson sphere? just like the image in wikipedia?
And why haven't the c'tan consumed all of the star? is it too big? is it because he is in stasis?

   I think you are on to something there. The Outsider is hiberating in an energy-rich environment as he travels back int oteh galaxy. A Beacon-call is being sent out to all Tombworlds informing them that he is not ready, but also telling his brothers (the other C'tan) that he will still be strong enough to kill them outright if they wake him prematurely. The other C'tan, both being cowardly bastards in this case, are waiting for the otehr to do something about this growing threat.

i know what the imperium can do
dyson sphere + exterinus torpodeos = 1 (hopefully) dead ctan
Then again maybe the dyson sphere is bringing the nids to stop that from happening
if worse comes to worse they could always let the sphere eat a couple of hundred lance strikes/planet killer shots

[Anatolian Guy]

Well the nids are avoiding the sphere by some light years I'd say, anyway, before the imperium is to do anything they should study the sphere, how thick are its walls, what is inside the sphere (maybe the damn outsider has some tombworlds inside), how the c'tan is sustaining itself, etc.

My best advice? get the remaining BF at ANY cost and give the c'tan the welcome he deserves, or either make him weak, wait for his backstabbing brothers to arrive and you have three c'tans to shot, not an easy feat but with an eldar-imperium alliance this could be done.

Of course that would be in my wildest dreams.

[tonyzahn]

So the star itself is mobile?

Sure, why not? Everything in the universe is in motion depending on your frame of reference.

I'm not really sure why they would use a Dyson Sphere in this case though, other than it's cool. The big advantage is the obcenely huge amount of inhabitable surface area, but what would a C'tan care about that? The can live free in space just fine.

 Now maybe the interior is just coated with legions of sleeping Necrons, which works since they don't need air or anything. One of the potential flaws in the Dyson Sphere concept is that it requires artificial gravity to keep its inhabitants on the inner surface. In an environment with an atmosphere, losing one generator would result in the air shooting off towards the sun.

[Rasmus]

I think that if I was a badly damaged or hibernating C'tan I would love to be in a place that guaranteed a stable output of power all the time it bought me to where I wanted to go, allowing my legions to be awakened with me as we neared the goal. The Dyson-sphere is the craft of choice for such a venture.

[The Sleeper]

I think that if I was a badly damaged or hibernating C'tan I would love to be in a place that guaranteed a stable output of power all the time it bought me to where I wanted to go, allowing my legions to be awakened with me as we neared the goal. The Dyson-sphere is the craft of choice for such a venture.

I wounder (how he built it)\(where he got it from)
Do you think there is a shop.

[Rasmus]

I am sure a C'tan could set up some major construction-works on a few tombworlds and make something like that. It just takes a LOT of logistical organisation to build something like that, and the C'tan could certainly provide just that.

[Newtype]

i know what the imperium can do
dyson sphere + exterinus torpodeos = 1 (hopefully) dead ctan
Then again maybe the dyson sphere is bringing the nids to stop that from happening
if worse comes to worse they could always let the sphere eat a couple of hundred lance strikes/planet killer shots

Think about the scale of a Dyson sphere, if it extends to the equivalent of an earth orbit, were talking about a shell several hundred million times the surface area of the earth. I dont think the entire Imperial fleet would have the firepower to crack something like that, depending on how heavy duty the foundation material is, but it would have to be incredible to support such a large structure. A Dyson Sphere would be almost too big to imagine, billions of people could walk around it's inner suface their entire lives and never meet.

If the Imperium does something about it, they would have to find the Sphere, (no small task as the star is enclosed, no light, no way to see it.) board it, and then search for the Outsider, free him, and then annihilate him. (once again, no small task. Im picturing an epic battle between the Outsider and a LOT of Terminators.