So for laymen as us, how far is the center from us in light years?
26,490 ± 100 light years or 8,122 ± 31 parsecs
Not long ago, the center of the Milky Way exploded
11–20 of 121 posts
Re: Not long ago, the center of the Milky Way exploded
#12So for laymen as us, how far is the center from us in light years?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sagittarius_A%2a
26000 light years
Re: Not long ago, the center of the Milky Way exploded
#13Does 3.5M years ago count as “not long ago” in astronomy time scales?
It's very nearly 3.5 days in terms of a middle aged person's lifetime, which is an interesting rule of thumb I think I've just discovered.
Re: Not long ago, the center of the Milky Way exploded
#14Re: Not long ago, the center of the Milky Way exploded
#15When this was first noticed (2013) I recall statements (possibly speculative) that the irradiated part of the Magellanic Stream might have glowed brightly enough to be visible in the night sky. If so, it would have subtended about half a degree, about the same width as the moon and the sun.
Re: Not long ago, the center of the Milky Way exploded
#16Re: Not long ago, the center of the Milky Way exploded
#17Does 3.5M years ago count as “not long ago” in astronomy time scales?
I would say so, it's even short on Earth time scale.
Whenever timespans like this come up, it always reminds me of the opening from Now and Then, Here and There: Because ten billion years’ time is so fragile, so ephemeral… it arouses such as a bittersweet, almost heartbreaking fondness.
Re: Not long ago, the center of the Milky Way exploded
#18Does 3.5M years ago count as “not long ago” in astronomy time scales?
It's very nearly 3.5 days in terms of a middle aged person's lifetime, which is an interesting rule of thumb I think I've just discovered.
so ... wild guess
37 years * 365 days = 13,500 days
universe has existed for 13.5 billion years
So each day in a middle aged life is 1 million of the universe's years.
I like it ! :-)
* This flare: Last Friday
* Dinosaur extinction: 3rd of August
* Pangea breaks apart: about Valentines day
* Earth formed: June 2007
* Universe Born: 1982
Of course this means the Universe would have listened to Flock Of Seagulls as a kid, and loved Knight Rider.
Re: Not long ago, the center of the Milky Way exploded
#19Re: Not long ago, the center of the Milky Way exploded
#20Earlier quoted context omitted.
It's very nearly 3.5 days in terms of a middle aged person's lifetime, which is an interesting rule of thumb I think I've just discovered.
so ... wild guess 37 years * 365 days = 13,500 days universe has existed for 13.5 billion years So each day in a middle aged life is 1 million of the universe's years. I like it ! :-) * This flare: Last Friday * Dinosaur extinction: 3rd of August * Pangea breaks apart: about Valentines day * Earth formed: June 2007 * Universe Born: 1982 Of course this means the Universe would have listened to Flock Of Seagulls as a k…
Dammit, I'm older than the universe. There's a happy thought.