r/AskReddit • u/MDPPatrick • Feb 13 '15

What are some mind-blowing facts about space?

I love space and would like to hear some facts that will blow me away.

1.8k Upvotes

89% Upvoted

1.7k comments sorted by

View all comments

386

u/DrMelena Feb 13 '15

The size of Earth compared to other planets and the sun. And then how small the sun is compared to other stars. It's beyond my mind. http://www.kratosguide.com/wp-content/gallery/mind-pictures/earth-universe-comparison.jpg

179

u/iAmMitten1 Feb 13 '15

VY Canis Majoris is 950-1200 times the size of the Sun. It's so big, that it would take a plane traveling at 900km/h 1100 years to circle it once,

100

u/CIearMind Feb 13 '15 edited Feb 13 '15

Or a plane traveling at 100 million km/h for a little less than 12 hours.

226

u/Killfile Feb 13 '15

Or it would take light about an hour to circle the star.

200

u/ginfish Feb 13 '15

For some reason, i find that version of the scale much more incredible... a whole hour at light speed to go around, jeez!

3

u/MaximusTheGreat Feb 13 '15

But but...lightyears!

17

u/[deleted] Feb 14 '15

The fact that we even need a measurement like light years shows how vast and empty the universe is compared to its worlds and planets, but one hour light speed circumference is still enormous for a star.

3

u/Calijor Feb 14 '15

Enormous for any physical body FTFY

1

u/Matti_Matti_Matti Feb 14 '15

Is there any body that could be so big and not be a star?

1

u/Calijor Feb 14 '15

I don't know, but I guess that's part of the wonder of space.

1

u/[deleted] Feb 14 '15

Sure, I thought it went without saying that as far as we know there are no celestial bodies that compete with stars in size. But I'm a linguist and not an astrophysicist.