I Pioneered Scientific Magic

Chapter 318: Looks Like Master Lynn Is Set to Miscalculate This Time!

While the wizards in the city of Greeneral were delving into methods of measuring the speed of light, a conversation was unfolding within the estate of the legendary councilor, Harof.

"The current magical theories in the land of wizards are terribly rudimentary... Did he really say that?" Harof's brow furrowed as he listened to Aurora's account. Lynn's words were undeniably a challenge to the entire wizarding world.

It was a blatant disregard for the tireless efforts of those who had dedicated themselves to advancing and researching the arcane arts. Despite possessing remarkable knowledge, such arrogance was unwarranted.

"No, I believe his intent wasn't solely aimed at the land of wizards. The magic theories developed by the Prophecy Guild are equally inadequate in the face of optics..." Aurora explained while recalling Lynn's words spoken at the assembly.

Optics unveil the truth of the microscopic world—the question is, what exactly is this truth? Could it be that the world they perceive now is false? Aurora pondered in confusion, struggling to grasp the meaning behind Lynn's words.

Harof, too, fell into contemplation. Based on their previous interactions and Lynn's presentation of various novel theories, the Prophecy Guild's understanding of magic and this world seemed far more profound than theirs.

If these words weren't intentional mockery and conceit, then they warranted investigation. The omnipresence of light concealed secrets deserving of such praise...

Harof desired to attend another gathering of legendary wizards, to inquire face-to-face. Yet, until now, he hadn't received another invitation. Though possessing the Mystic Ring granted Harof the authority to convene meetings, appearing too eager seemed disadvantageous. More importantly, he hadn't quite grasped the theory behind the cosmic explosion nor formulated any novel theories worthy of discussion among the legendary wizards.

At this point, Harof vaguely understood why the assembly of legendary wizards hadn't been convened yet. It was typical for magical research to take seven to eight years, or even more, to yield any results. The annual academic symposium in the land of wizards was already considered frequent.

"It seems we must prioritize our study of optics." Harof's expression grew notably grave as he turned to Aurora, curiously inquiring, "Do you have a method to measure the speed of light?"

Among them, Aurora possessed the deepest understanding of optics. If even she couldn't fathom a way, then perhaps the land of wizards had no means of measuring the speed of light.

"I believe we can start from astronomy!" Aurora pondered before speaking.

What's the most challenging aspect of measuring light speed? Undoubtedly, it's the incredible speed of light, the lack of a vast space for experimentation, and the difficulty in creating strong enough light to traverse thousands of kilometers.

Regarding vast distances, the celestial sky was the most fitting! According to last year's data, the diameter of the entire planet was tens of thousands of kilometers, and the distances between each planet were even more distant. Most crucially, the sun above their heads was a massive light source. Knowing the distance between them and other celestial bodies might allow them to deduce the speed of light!

"This method is excellent!" Harof exclaimed but then seemed to realize something, hastily interrupting, "No, wait. When we see the sun, the light has already arrived; there's no way to measure the speed using this."

According to Lynn's explanation, everything they saw was a reflection of light. Before the light reached them, they couldn't see the sun at all, so how could it serve as a reference point?

Aurora furrowed her brow, admitting she hadn't considered this before. However, just a few seconds later, she smiled, "But we can try observing other celestial bodies in the distance!"

"Such as the disappearing companion star of Thirr. It occasionally vanishes, likely rotating to the far side, eclipsed by Thirr's light. This irregularity in the planet's rotation cycle contradicts its supposed stability and regularity. According to my observations, the disappearance time varies throughout the year, sometimes faster, sometimes slower, constantly changing."

This peculiar astronomical phenomenon had initially perplexed her, but now she had an answer!

As Thirr moved along its orbit around the sun, the distance between it and the reflection of sunlight on the companion star took time. Understanding the distances between these celestial bodies and the Eternal Star beneath them might allow them to reverse-engineer the speed of light!

After hearing Aurora's explanation, Harof applauded, "You indeed have a solution! It seems this year, you'll be holding that Silver Moon Medal!"

As he spoke, Harof couldn't help but burst into laughter; this time, Lynn might be miscalculating. Lynn had dared to publicly promise the Silver Moon Medal to anyone who could calculate the speed of light. Apparently, he underestimated their ability to find a method within a few days.

"However, there's still one problem..." Aurora hesitated.

"What problem?" Harof asked cheerfully.

"Currently, we're still calculating the diameters and distances of various celestial bodies. We've only calculated the distance from the sun to the moon beneath us; we haven't reached Thirr yet..." Aurora said somewhat helplessly.

Their method for measuring the diameters and distances of planets, based on Lynn's Stellar Laws and the Parallax Method, was incredibly complex due to the planets' massive sizes. The data obtained often required repeated calculations and confirmations, resulting in slow progress.

"It's been nearly a year, and you still haven't finished these calculations?" Harof's expression spoke volumes; it was as good as not saying anything. Lynn was planning to verify these theories after this symposium, and they didn't have time to wait for these slow calculations.

Aurora shot Harof a glance. They still needed to verify Lynn's theories over this past year and redraw a detailed star map. Thirr wasn't that crucial in their priorities.

Moreover, while this method for calculating the speed of light was viable, considering the planetary rotations, there might be some margin of error. They could only estimate the approximate value.

"So, it seems we're left with the brute force method, like replicating your initial experiments. If one kilometer isn't enough, then ten, or even a hundred kilometers!" Harof asserted decisively.

"In fact, quite a few people are preparing similar experiments now. Their ideas are intriguing; let them do the hard work," Aurora shrugged. If others were assisting in the verification process, it wouldn't hurt to conserve some effort.

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