HOWDY ASTRONOMATES TRACE HERE.
SPACE IS VERY LARGE, EVEN IN OUR LOCAL NEIGHBORHOOD.
HIT THE DARKNESS AROUND ONE AM ON NOVEMBER 25th AND LOOK WEST FOR THE NEARLY-FULL MOON.
NEXT TO IT IS WHAT LOOKS LIKE A YELLOW STAR, BUT THAT'’’S JUPITER!
THE LARGEST PLANET IN OUR SOLAR SYSTEM.
DISTANCES IN SPACE ARE TOUGH TO GRASP.
RIGHT NOW THE MOON IS 230,000 MILES FROM EARTH.
BUT JUPITER IS 378 MILLION MILES AWAY THAT'’’S 1500 TIMES FURTHER.
(NOT TO MENTION JUPITER IS THOUSANDS OF TIMES LARGER).
IF YOU USE JUPITER AND THE MOON AS AN ARROW LOOK FOR THE GREAT SQUARE OF PEGASUS AND THE STAR ALPHERATZ.
ALPHERATZ IS 97 LIGHT-YEARS AWAY, OR 570 TRILLION MILES AWAY, MEANING AT LIGHT SPEED IT WOULD TAKE NEARLY A CENTURY TO GET TO ALPHERATZ!
THE MOON AND PLANETS ARE VERY VERY FAR AND YET, EACH TWINKLE OF EVERY STAR YOU SEE AT NIGHT HAS TRAVELED TRILLIONS OF MILES TO REACH YOUR EYES.
SPACE DISTANCES ARE LITERALLY ASTRONOMICAL!
KEEP LOOKING UP!