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As I understand it, quasars vary their output in regular ways, some over months and others over hours. Although they don't have atomic clocks, I suppose it's fair to say that they are consistent. So the known frequency of pulsation of all the known quasars, and the positions of them could be used to
determine one's position in the galaxy.
Now that, I expect, might be very useful one day.
From the Max Planck Institute...
http://www.geek.com...spacecraft-2012042/
they're being original, about 3 years post-facto [lurch, Apr 02 2012]
[link]
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If the method is mentioned at all, that is the way every SciFi book decribes it. (Apart from some weird constellation-recognizing techniques, that are humbug for pan-galactic navigation, but are used on deep space probes) |
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The plaque on the Pioneer and Voyager space probes uses this idea to show Earth's location, but with 14 pulsars within our own galaxy. Pulsars are pretty consistent - although, over long periods, not as consistent as was once thought. Quasars, on the other hand, are not necessarily consistent. |
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