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If all you want is a low equilibrium temperature, in free space it suffices to have a good-quality sunshade. In the shadow, objects get negligible heating and radiate into the heat sink of interstellar space. (The heat capacity of vacuum is pretty good, per cubic lightyear.)

Of course, the T^4 dependence of black body radiation makes the radiated power damn small at low temperatures.  It's about 460 W/m^2 around room temperature (300 K), but only 2 W/m^2 at the boiling point of nitrogen (77 K).

Words and ideas I offer here may be used freely and without attribution.

by technopolitical on Tue Sep 26th, 2006 at 02:35:24 PM EST
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Hooooweeee!

I approach the arcane as Schumaker approaches a chicane - seeking a safe line through, but at the same time aware of the possibilities for mischief against my competitors.

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Thu Sep 28th, 2006 at 06:25:54 PM EST
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