Putting it in perspective

[DBerg649]

Earth, Venus
Mars, Mercury, our moon
http://www.mariewinn.com/marieblog/uploaded_images/Scale-Model-Earth,-Venus,-Mars,-Mercury,-the-Moon...-775281.jpg
Jupiter, Saturn
Uranus, Neptune
Earth, Venus, Mars, Mercury, our moon
http://www.mariewinn.com/marieblog/uploaded_images/Scale-Model-Jupiter,-Saturn,-Uranus,-Neptune,-Earth,-Venus,-Mars,-Mercury,-the-Moon...-775870.jpg
Our Sun and the planets
http://www.kiroastro.com/images/perspective/sun1.jpg
From left to right, our Sun, Sirius, Pollux, and Arcturus
http://www.mariewinn.com/marieblog/uploaded_images/Scale-Model-Arcturus-Sun-703562.jpg

[CR125guy]

Amazing! I love this kinda stuff. Ever watch Stephen Hawkins into the universe on Discovery?

[Triple Five]

If the universe was the size of this post field, our galaxy would be invisible to the human eye.

[CR125guy]

If the universe was the size of this post field, our galaxy would be invisible to the human eye.

You've measure the universe and compared it to the pixels on this screen? ;-)

[sharkmx62]

what is pollux and arcturus?

[an_hero]

Other stars
I read before that like 20,000 of our sun would fit inside Arcturus so just imagine how many Earths it would take to fill it.

[an_hero]

Check out this bad SOB
VY Canis Majoris - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VY_Canis_Majoris)
http://phobosedeimos.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/canis-21.jpg
If the Earth (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth) were to be represented by a sphere one centimeter (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centimeter) in diameter, the Sun (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun) would be represented as a sphere with a diameter of 109 centimeters, at a distance of 117 meters. At these scales, VY Canis Majoris would have a diameter of approximately 2.3 kilometers, assuming the upper limit estimate of its radius (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radius).

[DBerg649]

It's crazy how small we really are

[Case]

It's crazy how small we really are
Speak for yourself, because in my case that's NOT what she said!

[sharkmx62]

Other stars
I read before that like 20,000 of our sun would fit inside Arcturus so just imagine how many Earths it would take to fill it.
ahhh, thats what I figured.
Thanks

[DBerg649]

Speak for yourself, because in my case that's NOT what she said!

:lol: Nothing I say is safe anymore

[DBerg649]

Here's a little further down the line
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_KBRiQuRcYAQ/SxKCy7PRooI/AAAAAAAAAn0/PTIaWF6F_98/s1600/star+Size+comparison+4.jpg
And then here's the one An-hero posted in comparison to Antares (which is the biggest one in the last one). I think it would take somewhere along the lines of 70 trillion Earths to match the volume of VY Canis Majoris, and it would take over 2.7 hours to travel around it at the speed of light... insane.
http://hartug.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/8.jpg
Considering it's the largest known and that there's literally an incomprehensible amount of stars out there that we can't get a good idea of, that one is probably dwarfed by some of the sh*t out there.

[DBerg649]

Some images from the Hubble telescope, with the 2nd one being my personal favorite...
http://www.lisisoft.com/imglisi/5/Screensavers/58997c03eopo9828d2.jpg
http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2009/4/2/1238691074392/hubble.gif
http://image3.examiner.com/images/blog/wysiwyg/image/hubble_back_in_the_picture.jpg
http://www.dbtechno.com/images/planet_methane_water.jpg
http://www.pacificariptide.com/pacifica_riptide/images/2008/02/21/no5_263x350.jpg

[ktmmcc82]

That bottom one kinda looks like the Stanley Cup... cool!

Here is another Hubble shot I like a lot.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8a/Hubble_ultra_deep_field_high_rez_edit.jpg/600px-Hubble_ultra_deep_field_high_rez_edit.jpg

[eighttwelve]

Space photography is incredible. It looks computer generated! :lol:

[DBerg649]

I'm just gonna keep my nerdiness flowing...
It also depends on what kind of wavelengths they're picking up, but some of the stuff just looks unreal. For example here's a few shots of the crab nebula in different wavelengths.
Visible spectrum
http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/Images/introduction/crab.gif
Radio
http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/Images/introduction/crab_radio.gif
Ultraviolet
http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/Images/introduction/crab_fuv_small.gif
X-Ray
http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/Images/news/cxo_crab.jpg

I'm a huge nerd, I know... I'm laying low on a Friday night, so I'm just bored

[Kenny]

http://i50.tinypic.com/bfffkm.jpg


Edit- Oops. Large picture is large. Link instead: http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm120/MP_888/MilkyWay.jpg

Edit 2- Another. Sucks that the forum's image resize feature doesn't work. http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/5265/universereferencemap.jpg

[Falcon991]

This is the one that fries my brain:

YouTube- Universe size comparison

No. Noooooooooo.........:eek6:

[Motocross83]

Unbelievable, this is a brillaint thread. I showed this to my 8 year old nephew who is really into science and he was just blown away. My Dad loved it to.

Mind boggling stuff.

[eighttwelve]

anybody seen the new science show "Through the Wormhole with Morgan Freeman"? Definitely recommend it, it's fascinating.

[sharkmx62]

anybody seen the new science show "Through the Wormhole with Morgan Freeman"? Definitely recommend it, it's fascinating.
does Morgan Freeman narrorate in it? If so he's really stepping out of his comfort zone and going for a new role

[Dozo]

does Morgan Freeman narrorate in it? If so he's really stepping out of his comfort zone and going for a new role
Yes he narrates it.

[sharkmx62]

Yes he narrates it.
bad spelling is bad :embarrassed:

[Kenny]

YouTube- The Known Universe by AMNH

[DBerg649]

does Morgan Freeman narrorate in it? If so he's really stepping out of his comfort zone and going for a new role

:lol: If I was rich, I would make a documentary of my life and have Morgan Freeman narrate it. It would be an instant classic.

[Dozo]

Is there anyone here that watches these shows and finds this interesting believe there is NOT intelligent life out there somewhere? I mean come on. If we are all there is what a waste.

[eighttwelve]

Is there anyone here that watches these shows and finds this interesting believe there is NOT intelligent life out there somewhere? I mean come on. If we are all there is what a waste.
Well the intelligent part is pretty rare given how long it takes for it to evolve and needing the right circumstances, but I feel like it's almost impossible for there to not at least be other living creatures on other planets. Have you seen Aliens with Stephen Hawking? That and the Time travel one blew my mind.

[an_hero]

You mention time and the universe has been around a lot longer than humans. You also mention circumstances, well, the universe is a pretty big place for things to happen. I guess it depends how you define "intelligent".

[Falcon991]

Ah, the intelligent life question. I've always believed there is life out there, and probably intelligent life as well.
I find it interesting that the naysayers are almost always ultra-religious. They point to the Bible as a reference, yet I don't remember ever reading a passage that says God created no other living things anywhere else in the universe.

[Demon]

I just hope whatever is out there is wookie or ewok like and not like those grey aliens.

[odmxrls]

It's funny because I just watched a DVD about the trips to the Moon. It was pretty cool stuff. They talked about seeing the Earth being so small and all the plain blackness. Very introspective. There were no way points along the journey. One guy said you just left eath and then 3 days later you were at the Moon. Good stuff.

[swedishfishmx]

If I had the money I'd be up in space for sure. Give me an SR-71 and a space suit...Enough food to last a few days and oxygen, then after my food and oxygen was up give me a pill and it would be lights out.

Seems like a good way to go out...no?

[goose]

After looking through all this I ended up going to a 3-d IMAX while at a museum about the three missions to fix the hubble. Showed a ton of cool images and although I understood 3% of it because it was in German it was fascinating as hell having nebulas floating around in front of you

[CR125guy]

yet I don't remember ever reading a passage that says God created no other living things anywhere else in the universe.

Uh huh, I just talked to him last night. They left that part out on accident. He said he is going to B-slap the next person who says otherwise ;-)

[eighttwelve]

You mention time and the universe has been around a lot longer than humans. You also mention circumstances, well, the universe is a pretty big place for things to happen. I guess it depends how you define "intelligent".
Ya I certain think it's possible, I just also think it's not nearly as obvious as simply other life. And also ya, it depends at what stage you consider intelligent. Typically 'intelligent' means 'I think, therefore I am.'

[odmxrls]

I just hope whatever is out there is wookie or ewok like and not like those grey aliens.
Maybe have a copy of this song around just in case.
YouTube- Indian Love Call in Mars Attacks!

[swedishfishmx]

maybe have a copy of this song around just in case.
youtube- indian love call in mars attacks! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mhgnmx73pw)

hahahahahahahaha yack yack

[DBerg649]

If I had the money I'd be up in space for sure. Give me an SR-71 and a space suit...Enough food to last a few days and oxygen, then after my food and oxygen was up give me a pill and it would be lights out.

Seems like a good way to go out...no?

Ya similar to my idea, except I wouldn't want to die in space. If I was a billionaire or something, I would want my body shot up into space when I die, and then after how ever long it would take for me to be out of range of being burned by the suns radiation, I would want to be launched out of my little ship so that I'm just floating in space forever. That way when the world is burned up and ultimately nonexistant, I'll still be floating around out there somewhere. :thumbsup:

[CR125guy]

That way when the world is burned up and ultimately nonexistant, I'll still be floating around out there somewhere. :thumbsup:

That or sucked into Jupiter's massive gravitational pull after a few years :-D

[DBerg649]

Naw, my little ship would keep me out of that just like the voyager (which is out somewhere around pluto by now if I'm not mistaken) and not to mention, I wouldn't want to be launched so that I'm going to be in the path of any planet's orbit. Then by the time I'm in a range from the sun further than say, the Kuiper belt, the front of my ship/casket would open up, and then I would be given a little push away from the ship and there I would float in nothingness with nothing on me, no technology, no clothes, nothing artificial propelling me. Just me

[Dozo]

Naw, my little ship would keep me out of that just like the voyager (which is out somewhere around pluto by now if I'm not mistaken) and not to mention, I wouldn't want to be launched so that I'm going to be in the path of any planet's orbit. Then by the time I'm in a range from the sun further than say, the Kuiper belt, the front of my ship/casket would open up, and then I would be given a little push away from the ship and there I would float in nothingness with nothing on me, no technology, no clothes, nothing artificial propelling me. Just me

Until the Greys got ahold of you,re-animated you and made you their lil sex puppet for hundreds of years.

[odmxrls]

voyager (which is out somewhere around pluto by now if I'm not mistaken).
V'GER. That thing was badass.

[DBerg649]

I watched this documentary on the Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity. Those are a couple of badass machines right there. I'm not sure of all the details anymore, but I think one is basically parked at the moment and the other is on a trip to some large crator, but they're both basically operational to this day and were only meant to last like a few months or half a year or something, and have traveled well beyond the distance they were intended to travel. It's been over a year since I watched that documentary, but it was really interesting. You guys should read up on those rovers. They're both monumental peices of engineering.

[DanielleJo22]

anybody seen the new science show "Through the Wormhole with Morgan Freeman"? Definitely recommend it, it's fascinating.

Anybody seen the new science show "Space: The Infinite Frontier" with Harry Caray? I would definitely recommend it. :thumbsup:

[odmxrls]

The company I work for makes a lot of space stuff like oygen generation systems. They made the Extravehicular Activity System for the moon exploration. We have some really cool stuff on display for tours. When Apollo 13 was having it's problems people from the bldg I worked in for a time where on the phone with NASA helping them solve the problem. Lot's of really smart and dedicated engineers.

[odmxrls]

I also think it's cool that one of the Mars rovers has some recycled World Trade Center steel on it.