27 Facts That Will Make You Question Your Existence
Summary
TLDRThis script takes viewers on a cosmic journey, starting from Earth and zooming out to the vastness of the universe. It highlights the Earth-Moon distance, the comparative sizes of planets, and the enormity of the Sun, which dwarfs them all. The script then expands to the scale of the Milky Way and other galaxies like NGC 6744, emphasizing the universe's sheer size and age. It concludes by reminding us of our tiny place in the cosmos, suggesting a broader perspective on life's trivialities.
Takeaways
- đ The Earth is our home within the vast neighborhood of the Solar System.
- đ The distance between Earth and the Moon, at its farthest, is 252,088 miles, a space that could fit all the planets in our Solar System.
- đ Jupiter's Great Red Spot is about two times the size of Earth, showcasing the diversity of celestial bodies.
- đ Saturn's rings contain fragments as large as mountains, highlighting the intricate details of planetary systems.
- âïž The Sun dwarfs Earth in size comparison, emphasizing the scale of our star within the Solar System.
- đ Earth appears tiny from various perspectives, such as from the Moon, Mars, and beyond Neptune, underscoring our planet's smallness in the cosmic scale.
- đ A billion seconds is a vast amount of time, equivalent to over 31 years, helping to put astronomical distances into a relatable context.
- đ The Milky Way galaxy, with a diameter of about 100,000 light years, is immense, yet our Solar System is just a tiny part of it.
- đđ There are galaxies like NGC 6744 that are even larger than the Milky Way, stretching over 200,000 light years across.
- đđđ The universe contains countless galaxies, each with billions of stars and potentially even more planets, indicating the immensity and complexity of the cosmos.
Q & A
What is the average distance between Earth and the Moon at their farthest points?
-The average distance between Earth and the Moon at their farthest points is 252,088 miles.
Can you fit all the planets in our Solar System within the distance between Earth and the Moon?
-Yes, within the distance of 252,088 miles between Earth and the Moon, you could fit every planet in our Solar System.
How large is the Great Red Spot on Jupiter compared to Earth?
-The Great Red Spot on Jupiter is about two times as large as Earth.
What is the comparison between the width of Saturn and Earth?
-Saturn is about nine times wider than Earth.
How large are some fragments within Saturn's rings in comparison to mountains?
-Some fragments within Saturn's rings are as large as mountains.
What is the comparison of Earth's size to the Sun?
-Earth is significantly smaller than the Sun, as depicted in the script where Earth is shown in comparison to the Sun.
How far is Earth from Neptune when viewed from just beyond Neptune?
-Earth is four billion miles away when viewed from just beyond Neptune.
What does Carl Sagan say about the number of stars in the universe compared to grains of sand on Earth's beaches?
-Carl Sagan mused that the total number of stars in the universe is larger than all the grains of sand on all the beaches of the planet Earth.
What is the diameter of the biggest star known, VY Canis Majoris, compared to our Sun?
-VY Canis Majoris is about 2,000 times the diameter of our Sun.
If the Solar System is shrunk to the size of a quarter, how big would the Milky Way galaxy be on the same scale?
-If the Solar System is shrunk to the size of a quarter, the diameter of the Milky Way galaxy would be roughly the size of the United States on the same scale.
What is the diameter of the Milky Way galaxy in miles?
-The diameter of the Milky Way galaxy is about 621,371,192,237,333,890 miles.
How does the size of NGC 6744 compare to the Milky Way galaxy?
-NGC 6744, a spiral galaxy similar to our own, is twice as wide as the Milky Way, stretching over 200,000 light years across.
What is the significance of the Hubble telescope picture mentioned in the script?
-The Hubble telescope picture mentioned in the script shows thousands of galaxies, each containing millions or billions of stars with their own planets, and some objects that may have formed 11 billion years ago.
Outlines
đ Our Home in the Solar System
This paragraph introduces Earth and its place within the Solar System, emphasizing the vast distance between Earth and the moon, which is capable of accommodating all the planets. It highlights the comparative sizes of Jupiter's Great Red Spot and Saturn's rings to Earth, and the immense scale of the Sun. The paragraph also provides a visual perspective of Earth from various celestial bodies and introduces the concept of a billion seconds to give a sense of scale, concluding with a reminder of Earth's smallness in the universe.
Mindmap
Keywords
đĄEarth
đĄSolar System
đĄJupiter
đĄSaturn
đĄSun
đĄMars
đĄNeptune
đĄLight Year
đĄMilky Way
đĄGalaxy
đĄBig Bang
Highlights
Earth is depicted as a part of the Solar System, emphasizing our local cosmic neighborhood.
The dramatic distance between Earth and the Moon, which can fit all planets in our Solar System.
Jupiter's Great Red Spot is twice as large as Earth, showcasing the scale of gas giants.
Saturn's size and ring system, with fragments as large as mountains, illustrating the diversity of celestial bodies.
The Sun's immense size compared to Earth, highlighting the importance of our star.
Visual representations of Earth from various celestial bodies, emphasizing our planet's place in the Solar System.
The concept of a billion seconds, providing a new perspective on time and scale.
Carl Sagan's musings on the number of stars exceeding the grains of sand on Earth's beaches.
VY Canis Majoris, the largest known star, being 2,000 times the diameter of our Sun.
The comparison of the Solar System to the Milky Way galaxy, using a quarter as a scale reference.
The Milky Way's vast diameter, expressed in light years and miles.
The realization of our tiny portion within the Milky Way, emphasizing human insignificance in the cosmos.
NGC 6744, a galaxy twice the size of the Milky Way, illustrating the scale of other galaxies.
The Hubble telescope's image of thousands of galaxies, each with billions of stars and planets.
The age of some celestial objects, dating back to 11 billion years after the Big Bang.
The reminder of Earth as our home, amidst the vastness of the universe.
Transcripts
- [Narrator] This is Earth.
(dramatic music)
This is where you live,
and this is where you live in your neighborhood,
the Solar System.
Here's the distance between the Earth
and the moon.
Doesn't look too far, does it?
Think again.
At their farthest points,
the Earth and the moon are 252,088 miles away.
In side that distance, you could fit every planet
in our entire Solar System.
But, let's talk about planets.
The great red spot on Jupiter,
that's about two times as big as Earth,
and Saturn is about nine times wider than Earth.
Saturn's rings are so large
that a few of the fragments within them
are as large as mountains. (intense music)
But, that's nothing compared to our Sun.
Just remember, this is Earth,
and this is Earth from the moon.
This is Earth from Mars.
Here's Earth from just behind Saturn's rings,
and here's Earth from just beyond Neptune,
four billion miles away.
But, a billion's a big number,
so let's put that in perspective.
One million seconds equals about 11 and a half days,
whereas one billion seconds equals over 31 years.
Let's step back a bit.
Here's the size of Earth compared
with the size of our Sun.
Terrifying, right?
And here's that exact same Sun
from the surface of Mars.
As Carl Sagan once mused--
- [Carl] The total number of stars in the universe
is larger than all the grains of sand
on all the beaches of the planet Earth.
- [Narrator] And there are some stars out there
that are much, much bigger than our little, wimpy Sun.
The biggest star we know of, VY Canis Majoris,
is about 2,000 times the diameter of our Sun.
But, none of those compares to the size
of a galaxy.
In fact, if you shrink the size
of our Solar System down to the size of a quarter
and shrink the Milky Way galaxy down using the same scale,
the diameter of the Milky Way
would be roughly the size of the United States.
(dramatic music)
That's because the Milky Way galaxy is huge.
Its diameter's about 100,000 light years wide,
which, when converted to miles,
is about 621,371,192,237,333,890 miles.
Inside of all of that is you.
You live in this tiny, tiny portion of the Milky Way.
But, even still, our galaxy is a little runt compared
with some others.
NGC 6744,
a spiral galaxy similar to our own,
is twice as wide as the Milky Way,
stretching over 200,000 light years across.
It is massive.
But, let's think bigger.
In this picture alone, taken by the Hubble telescope,
there are thousands and thousands of galaxies,
each containing millions or billions of stars
with their own planets.
Some of the objects seen here may have formed
as many as 11 billion years ago,
just three billion years after the Big Bang.
(intense music)
This period of time is considered one
of the busiest star-forming periods.
And just keep this in mind,
that's a picture of a very small,
small part of the universe.
So, if you're ever feeling upset
about your favorite show being canceled
or the fact that they play Christmas music way too early,
just remember, this is your home.
Earth.
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