Google Earth Community: Astronomical Proportions In The Sky

Astronomical Proportions In The Sky

Speed of Light: 186,282 miles per second.

Estimated Age of the Universe: 20 billion years.

Estimated Diameter of the Universe in light years: 46 billion.

Estimated Number Of Galaxies: 100 billion.

Diameter of the Milky Way Galaxy: 100,000 light years.

Rotation of Milky Way Galaxy: 240 million years.

Distance to Nearest Neighbor Galaxy: 2.5 million light years.
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These proportional formulas are based on the diameters of the stars and galaxies and their relative distances. Admittedly they are not to be taken as 100% accurate, but close enough.

If our entire solar system (Pluto’s orbit) were ¼ inch diameter, the nearest star would be 146 feet away. The galaxy would be 553 miles in diameter.

If the average distance between all stars in the Milky Way were ¼ inch, the galaxy would be 397 feet in diameter.
If the average distance between stars were 1/16 inch, the galaxy would be 100 feet in diameter.

If our galaxy were 1 inch in diameter, M31 Andromeda Galaxy would be 1.5 inches in diameter and would be 20 inches away.

If the average galaxy were ¼ inch in diameter, the known universe would be about 1 mile in diameter.

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Pic is Mount Diablo, California; it is also the point setting for my snapshot default, because it is one of the most meaningful geographic places in the world.

Edited by spacecowboy2006 (03/08/08 01:20 PM)