Science

JohnnyRingo

(18,623 posts)

28. Carl Sagan explained in Cosmos why stars don't collide.

Wed Mar 24, 2021, 11:55 AM

Mar 2021

He said that if you could shrink our galaxy to the size of an orange, the nearest galaxy would be about five feet away. But if you shrunk our sun to the size of an orange, the nearest star would be about 400 miles away.

I wrote that from memory, but it's close to accurate. Puts a real perspective on how small we are in the universe and the incredible vastness of it.

Thanx for posting. I really enjoyed that.

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Highlight:

In 4 billion years our galaxy will collide with Andromeda; NASA created this animation of what the c [View all] soothsayer Mar 2021 OP

I love it! PJMcK Mar 2021 #1

Yeah, space is big and all kinds of forces would be at work... soothsayer Mar 2021 #3

I've read that the chance of star collisions SCantiGOP Mar 2021 #7

This message was self-deleted by its author SCantiGOP Mar 2021 #9

The Sun will be heating up by then Warpy Mar 2021 #13

Less time than that. NEOBuckeye Mar 2021 #20

I normally don't have time for geo-engineering, speak easy Mar 2021 #37

I believe when the sun cools and expands... krispos42 Mar 2021 #38

Nah,... The Earth would have invested everything in building a device that destroys the Milky Way LiberalArkie Mar 2021 #22

LOL! You probably have the closest prediction to reality! Buckeye_Democrat Mar 2021 #26

GRREEEAATTT barrski49 Mar 2021 #25

welcome to DU gopiscrap Mar 2021 #43

So WHITT Mar 2021 #2

No no, figure what to buy INTO soothsayer Mar 2021 #5

I'd hold off a few billion years JohnnyRingo Mar 2021 #29

Cool! MuseRider Mar 2021 #4

Really? PJMcK Mar 2021 #6

Yeah, MuseRider Mar 2021 #8

I right behind you at 63 PJMcK Mar 2021 #10

Gotcha MuseRider Mar 2021 #11

I Hope There's Rum! COL Mustard Mar 2021 #53

We don't know what long term effects these vaccines have soothsayer Mar 2021 #15

Oh god no! MuseRider Mar 2021 #16

You will have a built in swiffer alfredo Apr 2021 #59

Everything hurts now.... Random Boomer Apr 2021 #61

I'm working on a new theory of gravity. mjvpi Apr 2021 #62

No offense meant nor taken. n/t Random Boomer Apr 2021 #63

Under certain conditions I would not mind just to see and enjoy it cstanleytech Mar 2021 #18

I have discussed this with My Son The Astronomer any number of times. PoindexterOglethorpe Mar 2021 #12

Reminds Me Of This Quote smb Mar 2021 #19

"Our galaxy is now in the brief springtime of its life." PoindexterOglethorpe Mar 2021 #21

Ok there we go again airplaneman Mar 2021 #41

Given that the Universe will go on for trillions of years, PoindexterOglethorpe Mar 2021 #42

Just to prove I am not imaging things airplaneman Mar 2021 #44

One minute in he's claiming life on other planets. PoindexterOglethorpe Mar 2021 #45

Dr Wright is probably the most famous exoplanet discoverer. I wont say any more. N/T. airplaneman Mar 2021 #46

I do see he's at Penn State, which is possibly the foremost school for exoplanet research. PoindexterOglethorpe Mar 2021 #47

My Son The Astronomer does know him, although not well, as MSTA is not at Wright's level. PoindexterOglethorpe Mar 2021 #48

Do You Think They'll Find Intelligent Life Before Then? COL Mustard Mar 2021 #54

meh, a guy on the internet said it's only 4800 y.o. getagrip_already Apr 2021 #58

Clarke is a great writer and an optimist JohnnyRingo Mar 2021 #30

I love Arthur C Clark! lunatica Mar 2021 #51

Except... maybe quantum mechanics is right soothsayer Mar 2021 #23

Before the distant galaxies recede, never to be seen again,... LudwigPastorius Mar 2021 #24

Good MFM008 Mar 2021 #14

Can't wait. Harker Mar 2021 #17

Then what's the point of going on? It will be all over soon... n/t malthaussen Mar 2021 #27

Carl Sagan explained in Cosmos why stars don't collide. JohnnyRingo Mar 2021 #28

I don't know about you, but I'm stockpiling extra toilet paper. In a galactic collision... NNadir Mar 2021 #31

So am I DFW Mar 2021 #32

Good point. I suggest stocking up on sun tan lotion. n/t. NNadir Mar 2021 #33

You're right. I should. DFW Mar 2021 #34

I'm hiding in my crawl space! Dan Mar 2021 #55

No hurry! I'm a patient kind of guy. I can wait. keithbvadu2 Mar 2021 #35

Thanks for the heads up. My wife and I will start preparing for this catastrophe now. Martin68 Mar 2021 #36

The third galaxy in this animation is M-33 Fortinbras Armstrong Mar 2021 #39

Thanks for that! I was wondering. byronius Apr 2021 #57

I'll set some popcorn aside birdographer Mar 2021 #40

Great thread, I enjoyed it so much❣️Thank you, soothsayer. n/t Stardust Mar 2021 #49

Your name checks out soothsayer Mar 2021 #50

Oh Great. My Homeowners Policy Will Go Up Again COL Mustard Mar 2021 #52

Glad I upgraded my home insurance. marble falls Apr 2021 #56

I'll be shampooing what remains of my hair that night. nt TexasTowelie Apr 2021 #60