A Little Universal Perspective on Things

July 19, 2008 11:34 AM

Earth vs. Betelgeuse (Among Others) ... Having very much enjoyed the recent post linking to the awesome and humbling NASA time-lapse video of the moon transiting the Earth, it occurred to me I hadn't yet seen a link to this (admittedly less awesome but still thought-provoking) slideshow providing a "little" perspective on our planet's relative size in the universe. Remember, though, we are still God's Favorites ... aren't we?
posted by NetizenKen (18 comments total)

we are still God's Favorites ... aren't we?

Only the Jews, NetizenKen. Only the Jews.
posted by Faint of Butt at 11:39 AM on July 19 [2 favorites]

we are still God's Favorites ... aren't we?

This was pretty much disproven in Lisbon, 1755.

Also single link .gifs (even interesting ones such as this) usually don't last.
posted by Avenger at 11:45 AM on July 19

I'm afraid it was the MORMONS. Yes, the MORMONS were the correct answer.
posted by Huck500 at 11:46 AM on July 19

How come Aldeberan is still showing up? I thought that got destroyed?
posted by Brockles at 11:50 AM on July 19

Only the Jews, NetizenKen. Only the Jews.

Not according to Mel Gibson.
posted by HotPatatta at 11:51 AM on July 19

It was more impressive in 5th grade, when my science teacher put an apple down in the middle of the college basketball arena and said "This apple is the size of the Earth. The arena is the size of our sun."

But same thing, I guess. The Eame's Powers of 10 is more fun.
posted by mrgrimm at 11:55 AM on July 19

Not according to Mel Gibson.

No, he just knows that the Real Jews were all killed and replaced by shape-shifting Space Lizards. From Betelgeuse, interestingly enough.
posted by Citizen Premier at 11:59 AM on July 19

It reminds me of the machine in Hitchhiker's Guide that drives people insane by making them understand how truly small they are in relation to the universe.
posted by Solon and Thanks at 12:02 PM on July 19 [2 favorites]

I found out about VY Canis Majoris (better size comparison pic + info) a few months ago and couldn't stop thinking about it for days. The universe just keeps barraging me with humbling awesomeness.
posted by pyrex at 12:03 PM on July 19

Is there snark on other planets?
posted by chillmost at 12:06 PM on July 19

You know, I'm an atheist, but I'm not sure that "there are stars much bigger than the sun" would be anywhere near my top-100 arguments against the existence of God.

The existence of bloody great chunks of space-rock that might crash into earth at any moment and annihilate all life on the planet might get in there, but this....no.
posted by yoink at 12:12 PM on July 19 [3 favorites]

VY Canis Majoris

As a Texas football fan, I am pleased that they have named a star system "Big Dog Vince Young."
posted by spiderwire at 12:14 PM on July 19

BTW: the link is cool. I just thought the God stuff in the FPP was unnecessary flamebait.
posted by yoink at 12:24 PM on July 19 [2 favorites]

Hurf Durf V354 Cephei.
posted by Ufez Jones at 12:27 PM on July 19

Impressive how we can image distant stars with the same resolution as the sun, down to the speckles, sunspots, and flares.

A picture of an apple would have worked better.
posted by fantabulous timewaster at 12:53 PM on July 19

That final comment was completely uncalled for.
posted by Class Goat at 12:53 PM on July 19

I wonder if God could craft a post so great that even he couldn't snark at it.
posted by kuujjuarapik at 12:55 PM on July 19 [2 favorites]

Man, you're right. If we were god's favorite, he'd have given us the biggest star!
posted by Mr. President Dr. Steve Elvis America at 1:11 PM on July 19