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07-24-2026LAST POST
The Pillars of Creation. 70 by 50 light years in size and about 7000 Light years from Earth.
Here is a more recent one from the new Webb telescope.
Lady Jane wroteOn our planet we also have "Cinque Torri" ("Five Towers") in the Dolomites. Mesmerizing place.The Pillars of Creation. 70 by 50 light years in size and about 7000 Light years from Earth.
Estimated age of the Dolomites: some say up to 250 million years.
Less travel time to reach than "The Pillars of Creation". Makes you realize we're all just a blip on a massive timeline in massive space.
Lady Jane wroteAnd, remember, a lightyear is 6 Trillion miles. (6,000,000,000,000) Which would be out and back to Pluto 2,000 times. And it took the New Horizons probe almost 10 years one way to get there. Ponder that.The Pillars of Creation. 70 by 50 light years in size and about 7000 Light years from Earth.
snowbimmer wrote"Pale Blue Dot is a photograph of planet Earth taken on February 14, 1990, by the Voyager 1 space probe from a record distance of about 6 billion kilometers (3.7 billion miles, 40.5 AU), as part of that day's Family Portrait series of images of the Solar System.And, remember, a lightyear is 6 Trillion miles. (6,000,000,000,000) Which would be out and back to Pluto 2 000 times. And it took the New Horizons probe almost 10 years one way to get there. Ponder that.
In the photograph, Earth's apparent size is less than a pixel; the planet appears as a tiny dot against the vastness of space, among bands of sunlight reflected by the camera.
Voyager 1, which had completed its primary mission and was leaving the Solar System, was commanded by NASA to turn its camera around and take one last photograph of Earth across a great expanse of space, at the request of astronomer and author Carl Sagan. The phrase "Pale Blue Dot" was coined by Sagan in his reflections on the photograph's significance, documented in his 1994 book of the same name."
And yet, thousands, if not millions, of alien spacecraft have been able to find us and visit us.
snowbimmer wrote"It's the smell..."And yet, thousands, if not millions, of alien spacecraft have been able to find us and visit us.
snowbimmer wroteAnd yet, thousands, if not millions, of alien spacecraft have been able to find us and visit us.
Llarry wroteTo me, it is so humbling to see just how insignificant each one of us is when compared to the Universe. This photo emphasizes that feeling. Sure, each of us is important in our own way, but in the scheme of things, not so much.Coolest photo in this entire thread!
It may sound sappy but just I feel lucky to be here.
Lady Jane wroteWell, I am happy to see that a simple picture managed to generate intelligent replies instead of the constant whining of the lack of T&A on this thread.
sygazelle wroteAdding some words of wisdom of the late Carl Sagan.To me, it is so humbling to see just how insignificant each one of us is when compared to the Universe. This photo emphasizes that feeling. Sure, each of us is important in our own way, but in the scheme of things, not so much.
It may sound sappy but just I feel lucky to be here.
Artemis wroteBillions and Billions...Adding some words of wisdom of the late Carl Sagan.
snowbimmer wroteTrue, and yet...according to the distinguished astronomer Avi Loeb, who published a book about it, an alien spacecraft *may* have passed the earth at relatively close distance a couple of years ago. Perhaps a craft that was billions of years old and just accidently passed by. Intriguing book, although I don't know what to think.And yet, thousands, if not millions, of alien spacecraft have been able to find us and visit us.
Llarry wroteI’m going to be passing through Roswell in a couple weeks. I’ll try to find out if they know anything there.True, and yet...according to the distinguished astronomer Avi Loeb, who published a book about it, an alien spacecraft *may* have passed the earth at relatively close distance a couple of years ago. Perhaps a craft that was billions of years old and just accidently passed by. Intriguing book, although I don't know what to think.
Artemis wroteAmazing video to help us fathom the enormity of it all. And here we are like a flea floating down the river on his back with a hard on yelling raise the draw bridge!
sygazelle wroteEarth versus the sun:Amazing video to help us fathom the enormity of it all. And here we are like a flea floating down the river on his back with a hard on yelling raise the draw bridge!
And the sun isn't all that big of a star, as stars go. More of a B-Lister.
B-lister?
The small black dot you see below and to the right of center in this image is Mercury transiting the face of the sun. Now that's how to make a planet feel insignificant. 
Mercury Solar Transit by Mark Johnson, on Flickr
Mercury Solar Transit by Mark Johnson, on Flickr
kscarrol wroteOk, maybe D-List.B-lister?
kscarrol wroteDepending on which site, Antares and Betelgeuse switch places in the size category. But they are not the biggest.B-lister?
Lady Jane wrotePersonally, I think it's a load of ballsDepending on which site, Antares and Betelgeuse switch places in the size category. But they are not the biggest.
