It looks like you're using an Ad Blocker.
Please white-list or disable AboveTopSecret.com in your ad-blocking tool.
Thank you.
Some features of ATS will be disabled while you continue to use an ad-blocker.
Originally posted by PatrickGarrow17
reply to post by ExCommando
You don't need any more stars, you already have a few trillion of them surrounding you.edit on 9/24/2012 by PatrickGarrow17 because: (no reason given)
Originally posted by TheSparrowSings
I actually am giving you are star for this post because I believe that although it is "elementary science" there are some people on ATS that could benefit from reading this. It seems, some people, don't even understand this much.
Originally posted by ExCommando
Originally posted by TheSparrowSings
I actually am giving you are star for this post because I believe that although it is "elementary science" there are some people on ATS that could benefit from reading this. It seems, some people, don't even understand this much.
I think most people understand that it's "big", but to know the actual numbers really puts it into perspective.
I also find it amazing the new ways they are sourcing to find habitable planets - by checking the variation in light emissions from the sun which is being circled, due to the change in gravitational pull (or wobble)
Amazing. I wish I could retrain in science!
Originally posted by watchitburn
I'm with you man. I can't get enough physics, quantum mechanics, just science in general.
I wish I had put some effort into learning math, so I could have career in something to do with science.
Originally posted by PatrickGarrow17
reply to post by ExCommando
Michael Faraday, one of the greatest scientists of the 19th century, didn't have any training or knowledge of higher mathematics. The British physicist was the first to model the energy fields surrounding planet Earth, which he did by drawing them in great detail.
As science is now taking on some topics that defy current mathematics and appear very vague by conventional expressions, I suspect some of the great scientists of the 21st century will be similar to Faraday as large scale theorists that express ideas visually.
Originally posted by ExCommando
I don't expect to get any stars, flags or replies to this post, as it's elementary science (especially to those that frequent this forum), but nonetheless, it excited me, so I'd care to share
The scale and enormity of the "space" outside of planet earth is absolutely mind boggling, and it's taken me a bit of time and research to wrap my head around it, so I'll explain in a simple way that my brain understands - for nothing more than reinforcing the information in my own memory!
Firstly, the speed of light
Light travels at a speed of 186,000 miles. Per second. Light takes 1.5 second to reach the moon. We now have the speed of light in a simple form of context.
The size of our galaxy - the Milky Way
Our little slice of the Universe - the Milky Way, is a galaxy which is 100,000 light years across. Remembering that light takes 1.5 seconds to travel from our planet to the moon. That same particle of light would take over 100,000 years to travel from one end of the Milky Way to the other.
On top of this, the Milky Way holds 500,000,000,000 stars (yes, 500 billion stars) - remembering that star = sun.
It is estimated that there is at least 1 planet circling each star - and they have estimated (they being NASA etc), that there are over 10,000,000,000 (10 billion!) planets which circle in a zone which would classify them as habitable (as earth is).
Where does our Galaxy fit into things?
Remembering the size of our galaxy, and how man potential habitable planets it contains.
Now, here's the kicker - the "universe" houses over 120,000,000,000 (120 billion) galaxies.
I'll give that a second to sink in.
Our galaxy has around 10 billion potentially habitable planets. 10 billion x 120 billion = one of those weird 10 to the power of a trillion numbers.
Also, it would take that particle of light around 42 BILLION lightyears to travel the length of the universe.
How can anyone think we are alone?
If I could change anything in my life, it would be to go back to the start of school and study science - this is such amazing stuff.
Thanks for readingedit on 24-9-2012 by ExCommando because: (no reason given)edit on 24-9-2012 by ExCommando because: (no reason given)edit on 24-9-2012 by ExCommando because: (no reason given)
Originally posted by Ericthenewbie
Let me take the numbers presented by the OP and throw in Brian Greene's multi-universe theory!
Mind = Blown!
Originally posted by IEtherianSoul9
reply to post by ExCommando
I share the same sentiment with you!
I'm just a measly primate trying to rationalize my existence in the immense vastness of the cosmos. Human life is so transient...if I could do it all over again, I would have followed my childhood dreams of becoming an astronaut; but, anthropology will have to suffice for now.
Whether or not other life exists in this universe is such a pertinent question with copious implications for our species.