Galaxies – Thousand times brighter than Milky Way
Debi Prasad Choudhary
Los Angeles
11/3/2014
Throughout my college and school career, I used to perform a
ritual on the night before the examination to please Ganesha by reciting a
prayer that described him as radiating light equivalent to billions of sun and
place the pen, pencil and eraser below his picture that would be used next
day!! My son also continued for some time. It was just a praise to the God to
do well in examination, never realized that such objects can exist, although
far far away from us.
Our Milky way galaxy is as bright as about 20 billion suns.
We live in a normal galaxy, the type of which may some time be 10 times
brighter. There are active galaxies many of them are 5000 times brighter called
active galaxies. Our Milky way galaxy is illuminated by the stars that produce energy by nuclear fusion similar to our sun. What makes the active galaxies so
bright? How do they produce light?
The brightness of these objects change rapidly in about one
hour. The polarization state of the light change in similar time scale indicating
that the source of light must be a tiny region, since the light would take several thousand years to reach from one end to the other. We estimate that
about 100 suns must be destroyed every year and converted into energy to keep
it bright. It has to be done in a very small space. This is possible only if
matter continuously flow into super massive black holes of one billion times as
massive as the sun. The matter is directly burned and produces gravitational
energy, no nuclear fusion.
The violent motion of matter near the center of the galaxy,
ejection of high-energy particles from the energy source regions in the form of
large massive jets that extend several light year and visible in radio
wavelengths seems to be consistent with the energy production mechanism from
huge black holes.
These objects are very far away, so we actually probe the
universe, what it was many years back. The universe was a violent place in the
past. What is store in future? Our fate, our destiny – the common destiny is
intertwined with the universe we live in.
We know so much about various objects of the universe, in
such great details that was never possible in human history. Let no body claim
this knowledge as their heritage. We are now able to ask the very big question
of all “How did all this happen?”
Dear Dr. Choudhary,
ReplyDeleteI did not know that are milky way galaxy is as bright as 20 billion suns. This explains a lot on why we tend to learn so much about it. It has so much interesting facts about it.
I also find it interesting that at the center of a galaxy the energy is consistent with a huge black hole. I wonder what that means for the future, we it turn into a black hole?
I also enjoyed your statement about the world being a violent place in the past, what is in store for the future? Honestly i believe no one knows except god,but we are growing everyday within the scientific field. Therefore we may find out! Thanks for the great blog professor.
Sincerely,
Richard Burson
Hello Professor,
ReplyDeleteI have noticed a trend in that we obviously do not know everything that is going to happen in the future. It is almost as if we are waiting on a dismal fate, I hope this is not the case. When you say the universe was a violent place in the past what do you mean by that? I am intrigued by the topic of black holes and look forward to learning more.
-Katlin Moody
It's amazing how huge and bright the milky way galaxy is, its hard to even comprehend something being brighter than the sun.
DeleteIt is crazy just to think that we are only a small part of such a bright galaxy and so many questions arise when I think about the way that it is possible for such a huge galaxy can sustain itself. Our future is a big mystery but I am sure there is still more exploring to be done.
ReplyDeleteYanin Peaches Ortega
ASTR 152 Online
I feel like we will never know everything in the universe. Will we ever find other "intelligent life"? Perhaps there are others beings out there that have technology that greatly surpasses ours and they know more? I hope that in my lifetime we make great advances in space travel as I am truly interested in every aspect of the universe; particularly black holes and their event horizons.
ReplyDelete-Erick Fernandez
I love how you talk about the fact you had a routine the night before a test, I believe most people relate to having that. I also found it fascinating that there are brighter galaxies and the amount that they are brighter is mind blowing. Thank you for this wonderful new information
ReplyDeleteI like your ritual before taking a test! I like to wake up early the day of a test and watch the sun rise! i find it so soothing! It almost hard to imagine something brighter than the sun! My eyes already water when i look at the sun! It is fascinating that active galaxies are far brighter than the milky way, and that 100 suns must be destroyed each year to keep it bright. It is also hard to imagine a black hole a billion times as massive as the sun is what produces energy without nuclear fusion. Its funny that by making one discovery, it raise many more questions! The universe amazing!
ReplyDeleteIt is absolutely mind blowing to read that the Milky Way Galaxy is as bright as about 20 billion suns. When I kept reading to the part where it says that there are some galaxies that are 5,000 times brighter, it made me wonder as to how something can be so bright and how it is possible to even be that bright in the first place. Referring to your ritual before an exam, I knew a couple of students who would also pray before an exam in order to help calm their nerves and in most cases help them pass the exam as well.
ReplyDeleteI love the short stories you add to our lesson plans. The galaxy we live in is just the greatest. It is awesome to know of the enormous amount of details we know of the ingoing and changing formations of the stars. I wonder what the future awaits.
ReplyDeleteAll these facts about the Milky Way Galaxy are amazing. Specifically, the section about active galaxies intrigued me because of how much energy is needed to keep the galaxies bright. The fact that we know this information says something about how far we have come, but there are still many questions, as you've mentioned, but I feel that we won't stop til we find answers.
ReplyDeleteThis was a very interesting blog. Just like you, professor, I also wake up and pray to Ganesh every morning. Especially if I ever have a test, I make sure to pray to saraswati Devi. I enjoyed how you said that we can now all ask "how did this happen?" Because now we ask that for so many concepts we're trying to understand. The only difference is now this generation doesn't stop until they get the answers they're looking for.
ReplyDeleteCaitlen Diab ASTR 152
ReplyDeleteHow cool is it to think that our Milky Way Galaxy is so big that our minds cannot even comprehend all of the different phenomenas out there? There is so much we don't know about it's just all so interesting and bizarre! I love it!
Also I love your story about praising the God, and then your son doing the same. It's a nice ritual to pass down :)
Hello Professor,
ReplyDeleteI can't believe that our galaxy (Milky Way) is as bright as 20 billion suns. The sun alone is so bright. I never would have imagined that around 100 suns must be destroyed just to keep the galaxy bright. I like how I can see everything that I've learned become connected. For example, how black holes come into play with galaxies to help keep them bright. I do also wonder what is in store for us? We have learned so much, but it only raises more questions.
-Yadira Morales-Chinchilla (ASTR 152)
Interesting I didn't know that our Milky Way is as bright as 20 billion suns. I also didn't know about the active galaxies and that they're 5000 times brighter than ours. I didn't know that about 100 suns must be destroyed every year and converted into energy to keep it bright. This was another great article which I learned a lot from.
ReplyDeleteAram Teroganesyan
Hi Professor,
ReplyDeleteI find it so interesting how the milky way is so bright and that with many suns combined together even then it cant compare. I like that with what i learn throughout this class i can combine this concept.
Jocelyn Medrano
Astro152
Erika Pina
ReplyDeleteAstr. 152
I really enjoy how each article piece about astronomy relates to your memories. I was surprised to read that the Milky Way is bright as 20 billions suns and that our galaxy is 10x brighter. That is amazing because I would have never guessed a number even close to a billion. What is even more shocking is that there are even brighter galaxy far away.
Jessica Ovsepian
ReplyDeleteASTR 152
I liked the way this article began with a story about the ritual you would do before an exam by praying to Ganesha. What I found interesting is that the milky way is as bright as 20 billion suns. I was unaware of the fact that 100 suns are destroyed every year and converted into energy to keep it bright or that this would only be possible if matter continuously flowed into super massive black holes, one billion times as massive as the sun. It is also both unsettling and astounding that we have not yet learned all there is to know about the universe and all the galaxies that inhibit it and how it all happened. However, I look forward to learning all the new information that will be discovered in the future.
Hello Professor,
ReplyDeleteWho knew the milky way galaxy is as bright as 20 million stars?I lost my train of thought there from how amazing and cool that sounds. It's crazy to know what is out there out of just earth. Who knew there we're that may starts. I like how you connect this to your personal life because it allows me to go back and try to connect to my life as well. Once again this class amazes me with the new material we learn on a daily.
-Jazzlin Hernandez
Astro 151
Francisco Facio
ReplyDeleteASTR 152
22 April 2016
It is similarly interesting at the fact that you would perform a ritual the night before examination to please Ganesha. In my culture some folks may or may not perform a ritual or prayer to the Virgen Mary (Virgen de Guadalupe ) which is a deity in between the sun and moon gods. Also how about 100 suns must be destroyed every year and converted into energy to keep it bright. That is quite a great amount of energy being converted.
Astr152 online class- yeseul Kom
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your blog again. I Really enjoy reading your blog every week! The interesting fact about this article was that the milky way galaxy is bright as 20 billion sun. New knowledge!
Astr152 online class- yeseul Kom
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your blog again. I Really enjoy reading your blog every week! The interesting fact about this article was that the milky way galaxy is bright as 20 billion sun. New knowledge!
Astr 152
ReplyDeleteIt is amazing that the milky way is just as bright as 20 billion suns. Also, I did not know that about 100 suns have to be destroyed every year.
- Melissa Ramirez
Cindy Aguirre
ReplyDeleteASTR 152
I think most of us can relate that before a test we all have some sort of ritual, that we feel will help us excel in our tests. Interesting to read that the Milky Way galaxy s as bright as 20 billion suns! I was also intrigued to read that about 100 suns must be destroyed every year and converted into energy. This class never fails to amaze me! Thank you for sharing.
"How did all this happen?" It's an amazing that we are just a small part in the galaxy. Also, our Milky way is as bright as 20 billion suns! It's amazing!
ReplyDeleteASTR 152
DeleteHeng Shen
I personally prefer learning about the entire galaxy, vs a specific star. This weeks' blog was great!
DeleteASTR 152 ONLINE
FALL 2016
MARINA MELKUMYAN
It's amazing how much energy is required to keep the galaxies bright! The idea that billions of suns is how bright our galaxy is keeps me very interested in the study of Astronomy. Also, the idea that 100 suns need to be destroyed every year in order to keep the brightness astounds me!
ReplyDeleteASTR 152
The universe has been expanding for 13.6 billion years which gives you the sense that its will always keep growing. And if the universe keeps growing then I see that humans will never truly explore even half of the universe. We are such a small part that is crazy to think how much is truly out there. It is amazing to think about how everything changes in the galaxies and universes and its something to look forward to in the future of what humans can learn more of.
ReplyDeleteI found it so interesting the Milky Way is as big as 20 billion suns and that's just a normal galaxy. As well as the fact that 100 suns are destroyed each year to make space. That reminds me of how life is here that old things must die to make room for new. I found it interesting how the universe has been expanding for so long. The amount of energy that is required to make the galaxy bright is so crazy to me.
ReplyDeleteYajaira Tiscareno ASTR 152
ReplyDeleteTo think that our Milky Way Galaxy is as bright as about 20 billion sun is remarkable. My initial thought was that the Milky Way was bright, and there are other active galaxies that are 5,000 times brighter. The closing paragraph tied everything together. As always I look forward to reading next week’s blog post.
It is shocking to think 100 suns would have to be destroyed and converted to energy for a galaxy to maintain its brightness. It is also interesting to read about how you would place your writing utensil and paper next to Ganesha to do well on your examination.
ReplyDeleteASTR 152
Raymond Banting
I find it really captivating how each lecture starts with a background story. It's amazing how astronomy has shaped/influences different aspects of your life. I always knew that the milky way is incredibly bright but I can't imagine it being as bright as 20 billion suns. Lastly, what do you mean by "the universe was a violent place in the past"?
ReplyDeleteLuciana Moreno
AST 152
Although I knew we live in the Milky Way Galaxy, I admit to not knowing too much about it. For one, I never knew that the Milky Way is as bright as about 20 billion stars; I found that remarkable. All the while I was trying to imagine exactly how bright the Galaxy is considering that the sun is awfully bright on its own.
ReplyDeleteASTR 152
I find it really interesting that we know so little about our home galaxy. It makes me wonder what else is in our galaxy and beyond.
ReplyDeleteIt is nice that for most of your blogs you have relatable insight for the students and this blog did not fail to do so. Everyone has a ritual whether it is before a test or before a competition to me it is before both. The sun already seems so bright and so vibrant I can’t stare at it for longer than a couple seconds before my eyes begin to get watery. It is amazing to now know active galaxies are 5,000 times brighter. Our milky way is 20 billion suns brighter than the sun.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great way to start the blog, discussing your ritual before an exam. That is cool and nice that your son has started doing the same.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't aware that the Milky Way is bright as 20 billion suns! That's extremely interesting. These blogs you post are very helpful and help me learn new things that I have never known or thought of before.
astro 152 online
ReplyDeleteWhen you look at the grand scope of things it seems to always lead to the "ultimate question". This short blog points out how different our own galaxy used to be, but i understand now that we can learn a lot about the galaxy we live in by studying other galaxies.
DIANA PEREZ
ReplyDeleteASTR 152
ONLINE
I enjoyed this short blog because it was packed with such great information. I can't even imagine viewing the brightness of our Milky Way. And that there are brighter ones blows my mind!
I have a question about this part:
"The violent motion of matter near the center of the galaxy, ejection of high-energy particles from the energy source regions in the form of large massive jets that extend several light year and visible in radio wavelengths seems to be consistent with the energy production mechanism from huge black holes."
Is this the reason why it took so long for us to capture the wavelengths of two black holes colliding? Is it because the distance is so far?
Astronomy 152
ReplyDeleteI never knew our galaxy was as bright 20 billion suns. Also the fact that 100 suns must be destroyed and converted for our galaxy to have brightness. The ending was a bit dark though.
Wow our galaxy is really bright. I never gave it much thought. It is interesting to think that there is more than just life.
ReplyDeleteASTR 152 OL
Elizabeth Narayan
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThe center of a galaxy the energy is consistent with a huge black hole. The black holes are t h ones who help keep the galaxy bright considering the fact that the galaxy is made of 20 billions suns.
ReplyDelete"These objects are very far away, so we actually probe the universe, what it was many years back."
ReplyDeleteThis is one of the more interesting concepts for me on the topic of astronomy. I always forget that the light we are seeing is in fact light from the far distant past. So essentially, we are not really seeing the galaxy as it is right now, in our present time. Its kind of like a snap shot photograph of what the galaxy looked like long ago (in some cases, even billions of years ago).
Astr 152
-Cameron Wolcott
Adrian Ruvalcaba
ReplyDeleteAstronomy 152
What stood out from the reading that there is brighter galaxies than the milky way out there in space. As well as when you mention the way describe your prayers before a test and the feeling of the radiating sun.
Galaxies are so beautiful and it’s so amazing learning about them because their very unique. I did find one of your facts interesting about our milky way galaxy is as bright as roughly 20 billion suns! Crazy! Also, It was cool understanding our galaxy and how it operates on a daily basis. I enjoyed reading this blog because it was pretty informative and it provided tons of interesting facts about our galaxy and galaxies in general. Its truly amazing to know how bright a galaxy is because it just doesn't appear to be that way. I mean some people consider the sun to be extremely bright (not me) so juts imagine if they found out how bright a galaxy is.
ReplyDeleteSarine Mirzakhanian
ReplyDeleteASTR 152 (Online)
This was a very interesting blog, I learned that there are galaxies more than 5000 times brighter than our Milky Way. Our galaxy is illuminated by nuclear fusion stars, and it is as bright as 20 billion suns. We estimate that almost 100 suns must be destroyed every year to produce the energy to keep it bright. I can not imagine the brightness of those active galexies. Really enjoy to read your blogs every week.
Thank you.
Katherine Garay
ReplyDeleteAST 152 online
Amazing blog! I'm surprised to know that our Milky way galaxy is as bright as about 20 billion suns! I will share this fact with relatives and friends. I will be looking forward to read more interesting and factual blogs like this one!
Hello Sir,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your post. I think it’s wonderful that you and your son share that experience. It is also interesting that a tradition and a pray that you used to do during test time is connected to your chosen field of study. How awesome is it that our galaxy is so bright and large. I would never have guess that our galaxy is as bright as 20 billion suns. That’s not even fathomable to me all because of nuclear fusion. This was a very interesting read thank you for sharing.
It is interesting how you and your son would put your test materials under the picture of the god Ganesha to do well in your examinations. I have a similar thing i do to perform well on tests. I have a lucky pencil and hair tie i use on the days of my exams to do well. I found it fascination that our galaxy is as bright as 20 billion suns. Also that other galaxies are even brighter! As always your blogs are very informative!
ReplyDelete-Melanie Leyva
ASTR 152
ASTR 152
ReplyDeleteThis lecture was interesting because I was not aware of how bright our galaxy is. However, if our galaxy is only of average brightness how bright can a galaxy get? Also does a brighter galaxy mean there is a greater amount of black holes?
I think it's crazy to think that the brightness of these objects are constantly changing- and because they are changing the universe is changing constantly as well. It's kind of like a domino effect with the " violent motion of matter near the center of the galaxy".
ReplyDeleteKelly McGiffney
ASTR 152
Hello Professor,
ReplyDeleteAt certain times, I would do a little "prayer" as well when it came to things I needed help the most. It just gave me some relief and hope. However, what I found most interesting about your article as to how the Milky Way shines up to 20 billion suns. That is one bright Milky Way!
It was interesting when you said you had the ritual you did before exams and that your son followed in your foot steps and did it for a while too. I personally never had a ritual I've done before exams. Also it was cool how the brightness can change in less than one hour for the stars that were powered by the nuclear energy.
ReplyDeleteI found it very interesting that the Milky Way is as bright as up to twenty billion suns. I can't even imagine how there are even brighter galaxies. I also enjoyed reading about your exam routines. This was a very interesting post thank you!
ReplyDeleteJustin Toerner
ASTR 152
Yaqueline Carlos
ReplyDeleteASTRO 152
I never thought about performing a ritual before an exam, I would think my ritual is to just sit there and take three deep breathes before I begin taking my exam. I thought that the sun was the brightest in the universe and it is very interesting to find out that the milky way is actually 20 times the brightness of the sun. There is always something new that we will learn about our universe and thats what keeps it so interesting.
Hello Prof,
ReplyDeleteThe amount of stars in galaxies is very fascinating, especially how we know that nuclear fusion of stars is what contributes to galaxy's varying luminosity. It is great learn whats going on within a galaxy, and what it takes to produce such energy and luminosity. With the great number of stars and galaxies, I can't help but wonder that there are stars like our sun and possible planets like Earth.
Kristoffer Villabroza
ASTR 152
Hello professor my name is Maria Figueroa and I am part of your Astro 152 Online class. After reading this blog I found really interesting the fact that our Milky way galaxy is as bright as about 20 billions suns. I never thought about how bright our galaxy could be and now that I learned this, it fascinated and surprised me. Also, when I read that our universe was a violence place in the past surprised me too and it made me wonder what really happened back then that classified the universe as a violent place. Overall, it was a very informative blog. I enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteMaria Figueroa Astro 152
Grace Doyle
ReplyDeleteASTRO 152
I love your blog. I liked learning how much energy is used to keep a galaxy bright. I like that is billions of suns. how cool is that. It was fascinating knowing 100 suns need to die in order to keep the brightness. i love these facts.
Nancy Moreno
ReplyDeleteAstr 152 OL
I found it fascinating how our Milky Way is laminated by the stars that produce energy by nuclear fusion like our sun. From the blogs, I have been learning a lot of information of the attributes of our universe. I enjoy the thoroughness and in depth of the information given just like if one were to be sitting in a lecture class.
It's scary to think that one of these jets of high energy particles emitted from black holes may be directed toward the earth. The universe is so vast that it is possible (but unlikely) that one is headed our way. The entire solar system might be obliterated and we'd never even know about it until it arrives.
ReplyDeleteDyamond Bernard
ReplyDeleteAstr 152
I found the information about 100 suns being destroyed each year to be very interesting. I never knew that and learning that was really cool. I also thought it was cool to learn that the milky way is as bright as 20 billion suns.
Allan Chan
ReplyDeleteAstr 152
I find it to be very intriguing that our galaxy is as strong as about 20 billion suns. It shows how we are a very little part of a gigantic whole. I honestly thought the sun would be an extremely powerful entity within the universe, but as soon as I learned that the sun is so many times compared to our universe it showed me otherwise. It is quite satisfying to know how big the milky way is and that we inhabit it.
It was interesting to learn that our galaxy is as bright as 20 billion suns. I find it quite fascinating, because it is very hard to even look up at the sun because it is very bright, so 20 billion of them would just be blinding.
ReplyDeleteYour blogs are always so fascinating to read and it always interesting to learn something new about the galaxy that we live in. No wondering why other galaxies are so bright, our galaxy is as bright as 20 billion suns.
ReplyDeleteIt is amazing that how human beings have such an ability not only to find the objects that are very far away in universe but how those objects were created and still active. It is amazing that Milky Way galaxy is as bright as 20 billion sun and more interesting is what is the source of this energy that makes our galaxy so bright?
ReplyDeleteVery interesting article. The part I found most intriguing is the milky way being as bright as 20 billion suns. That is very bright! Also amazing how fast the brightness of this can change so rapidly.
ReplyDeleteIf anything, this shows that from destruction comes something new and that everything is mysteriously massive and expansive
ReplyDeleteHaley Blevins
ASTR 152
Thank you for another intriguing blog post! The short stories you add at the beginning of each blog post makes for a very interesting and relatable read. It was fascinating to note that the Milky Way Galaxy is as bright as about 20 billion suns. What was even more fascinating that there are active galaxies that can be 5000 times brighter. I thought about the amount of energy that would be needed to make the galaxies that bright and all the chemical reactions that would have to take place in order to produce that amount of energy. You mentioned that the universe was a violent place in the future. I was wondering the context as to this statement. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteSometimes your blog posts feel like short stories instead of strictly educational pieces. It's nice to hear about your traditions in terms of how it eventually relates to the subject at hand. It's crazy to think that our galaxy is as bright as 20 billion suns! What's even crazier is that there are much brighter galaxies! Universe is an incredible subject to study as it is so unpredictable, overwhelming and mysterious. The universe does sound like a violent place in the past and it's a little scary to think about that it actually was a natural process of creation.
ReplyDeleteI like reading these lecture they help me understand so much better. I did not know that sun get destroyed each year. The galaxy is so bright.
ReplyDeleteSuch an interesting lecture! I did not know that our galaxy was so bright, equivalent to 20 billions suns is incredible.
ReplyDeleteLearning about the Milky Way Galaxy and other galaxies in this lecture was a big eye opener. Stars that produce nuclear fusion energy are what light up our galaxy that make it as bright as 20 billion suns, and that’s a normal galaxy. I found it even crazier that there are brighter than ours. Learning that the universe was a violence place in the past has me thinking what would happen to our universe in the future. It makes me also wonder how did it happen, and it makes me think of endless possibilities to how it was all created.
ReplyDeleteI think we have all been there where we literally pray or hope for the best for an exam. I still catch myself doing that! The milky way is enormous to us but tiny compared to all the other galaxies in the universe. Our galaxy is vast within itself and very powerful but when I read that there are galaxies that are 5000 times bright it was shocking. What I wonder is how these vast objects can change brightness within an hour! It is always so interesting to learn what happens in the universe.
ReplyDeleteThe blog posts transports me to another time and place. It takes me back every time to my childhood when I would look up at the stars on the clear winter sky and wonder where do I fit in into all of this massive, mysterious space and time.
ReplyDeleteI had no idea that out Milky way is as bright as 20 billion suns. This is mind blowing considering we humans will go blind if we look at only one of those suns, like our own, for a very short amount of time.
So interesting that there are active galaxies and that they are so much brighter than ours because they do not have nuclear fusion but the matter is directly burned.
I keep expanding my knowledge a great deal in this class. Thank you!
This is Emmeli Tomth (Astro Fall Online 2016) Sorry forgot to write that in.
DeleteHello Professor,
ReplyDeletethank you for sharing your ritual with us! i had no idea our Milky way galaxy is as bright as about 20 billion suns! Such a great blog post!
Fascinating that our galaxy can be so bright! Also, it was interesting to learn that about 100 suns must be destroyed to keep it so bright.
ReplyDeleteSelena Dang
ASTR 152
Professor Choudhary,
ReplyDeleteAnother great and interesting lecture post!
It is honestly crazy how minuscule we are in such a huge and bright galaxy - like how can one honestly comprehend this phenomenon. Its incredible! And besides what we know of the universe, we honestly dont know much at all.
Celina Carpina
ASTR 152
Online Fall 2016
I never knew a galaxy could be so bright. To think we wake up to sunlight, a star so powerful.. what else can the universe posess? This blog truly opens my mind to the universe and provides me with excellent insight!
ReplyDeleteTERREL GULIFORD
ASTR 152
I find it interesting how scientist are able to examine the universe and its appearance from many years ago. Scientist were able to determine that our universe was violent place in the past. I am certainly happy that it has calmed down.
ReplyDeleteOur Milky Way is about as bright as 20 billion suns. Wow! What really blew me away was the fact that it takes 100 suns to be destroyed every year to maintain the light in our galaxy. Our universe has definitely been around for billions and billions of years of year for that to even be possible. Does this mean that the universe has no end?
Ixtla Montanez
ASTR 152 online
Fall 2016
What I didn’t know was the fact that our galaxy is so strong, almost as strong as 20 billion suns. Using this strength also gives us the brightness of the skies. Our sun is a powerful source of energy, and can help us light us our world. It is wonderful to know that our universe is so profound and amazing. Knowing that our Milky Way is so huge, and powerful, with many stars forming and creating life.
ReplyDeleteEdward Rodriguez
Astro 152
Fall 2016
It was an interesting read about how the active galaxy keeps it bright by us estimating that about 100 suns must be destroyed every year and converted into energy to keep it bright. Interesting post!
ReplyDeleteChristina Tran
AST152 Online (Fall 2016)
When we see out into space we see darkness but in reality out galaxy is extremely bright. I did not know that our galaxy was actually that bright. In the center we see so much chaos and black holes. When i was younger i believed black holes were science fiction but now we realize that they are real and are a part of how we understand our universe. It amazes me how much we have learned as humans in such a small period of time. Great blog Prof.
ReplyDelete-Raymundo Ruvalcaba
Astr 152 online
fall 2016
Wow! I did not know that our galaxy was brighter than 20 billion Suns. I've always through the sun was the brightest or if not one of the brightest. I learned something new from this post. This shows me I have so much more to learn about our universe and your posts are defenitely helping me learn something new each time, thank you!
ReplyDeleteASTR 152
Maggie Chong
So is the galaxy the brightest star in the space? It is very interesting to know how the brightness of the galaxy changes within every hour.
ReplyDeleteThis article gave me many questions in my mind and curiosity.
The fact of that the galaxy is as brighter as 20billion sun, is the temperature of the galaxy very high like the sun? or is about the same temperature as the sun?
Sungjoo Jeon
ASTR 152
Fall 16'
This lecture raised so many questions about our galaxy. We are so used to seeing these topics from our perspective from here on earth so when we look at things in a larger scale it is really fascinating.
ReplyDeleteAustin Moreno
ASTR 152
Learning about the Milky Way Galaxy and other galaxies in this lecture is always interesting. Stars that produce nuclear fusion energy are what light up our galaxy that make it as bright as 20 billion suns, and that’s a normal galaxy. I enjoyed learning that there are brighter stars. Learning that the universe was a chaotic place in the past has me thinking what would happen to our universe in the future and what more we will discover.
ReplyDeleteCelinne Hernandez
ASTR152 ONLINE
It is amazing how people had/has been developing the research and discovering more on the great universe. Our galaxy is as bright as 20 billion suns? It sounds crazy. But it is sad that I cannot see and feel it directly. (I may die if I saw it because it's too bright? I don't know.) But I always think about how this planet we live in was lucky to have all those perfect temperature, lands, and other situations that made lives billions years ago.
ReplyDeleteRyan Schlup ASTR 152
ReplyDeleteI found interesting that the Milky Way is as bright as 20 billion stars. As well as the driving forces that sustain the energy and brightness in the galaxies. Examples like 100 Suns having to blow up each year in a galaxy or
matter flowing into super massive black holes are crazy to imagine.
r are interesting magnificent.
Interesting to learn about the galaxy that we live in. The Milky Way has more for an interesting aspect than the chocolate bar it's named by. It was interesting to know how the galaxy is as bright as 20 billion stars but also that the brightness of objects change in an hour. It's really amazing
ReplyDeleteIts very interesting how bright the universw is and that milky way is as bright as 20 billion sun.
ReplyDeleteI never realized how truly bright the Milky Way Galaxy is! When putting it into more relatable terms, 20 billion sons equaling the amount of brightness sounds unimaginable! These random facts about the Galaxy are so interesting
ReplyDeleteASTR 152
Riley Conlan
Samantha Mejia
ReplyDeleteFall 2016
Astronomy 152
It's amazing that our Milky Way galaxy is as bright as about 20 billion suns. The energy of the center of our galaxy being consistent with a black hole- is also interesting.
Kathy Aguilar
ReplyDeleteAstr152
Interesting to find out that our galaxy can be that bright! Also interesting that our Milky Way is about as bright as 20 billion suns!! Cool post to read!
Professor,
ReplyDeleteI found the portion of this post describing the violent past of the universe quite interesting; it's strange to think of something that looks so peaceful from our backyards as something to have such an explosive history. I appreciate this post, thank you.
Christa Griffiths
ASTR 152 ONLINE (Fall 2016)
you would of never imagined that 100 suns would have to be destroyed and converted to energy for a galaxy to maintain its brightness. id also never imagine the milky way galaxy being as bright as about 20 billion suns. its so crazy how its that bright and we never noticed.
ReplyDeleteAstro 151
Jaime Lopez
ReplyDeleteFall 2016
Astronomy 152
After reading this, it really gives me perspective about how there is so much outside of our galaxy and gives great scope of objects in it. The difference between being 10 and 50 times brighter is just crazy! It makes sense to want to know about our very own galaxy but there is so much outside of it and so much left to be discover. It is truly exciting.
To us the sun is already bright enough. Living in Northridge we know that all too well when it gets hot. But to think that the milky way galaxy is as bright as 20 billion suns?? I just can't imagine that even on the hottest days.
ReplyDeleteTien Ho
Astro 154
I found it very interesting that our milky way galaxy is as bright as 20 billion suns. Just imagining how many suns and how bright that is is pretty fascinating in my opinion. It is scary to think about our future and what will become of us and It is something that I do not like to think about !
ReplyDeleteIt is strange to think about how small the Earth really is in terms of the universe. I find it to be quite unpredictable what the future holds for us.
ReplyDeleteJacqueline Anderson
Astro 152
Very interesting lecture. That is a cool ritual and awesome to see it carried out by your sun. It might come in handy during these next two weeks. Everyone I read these lectures my mind continues to fade of because I am thinking of the galaxies and realizing just how great this universe is. I saw a movie trailer about a movie taking place in space and all I could think about is stuff from this class.
ReplyDeleteElias Orona
ASTR 152
I cannot reconcile the idea of galaxies being so bright being the product of super massive black holes, or did I not understand it correctly? Why don't we see these super massive black holes as huge voids in the galaxies? Why wouldn't we be sucked into a super massive black hole?
ReplyDeleteKierra Stepteau ASTR 152 Fall
Henry Lamas
ReplyDeleteASTR 152
I thought it was interesting to learn that the of the source of where the light is from can be determined by the change of brightness and it can indicate the size of the sources of where the light is coming from.
Every time I read your blog, I always got new interesting information that I have never noticed before. In this blog, it is so amazing that our Milky way galaxy is as bright as about 20 billion suns. And about 100 suns must be destroyed every year and converted into energy to keep it bright.
ReplyDeleteASTR 152
It is interesting to think about that there must be life on other planets, and that in order to survive they must have adapted to these other active galaxies where the suns are even brighter than our own. Would they evolve faster if the light energy was greater? And what happens if the brightness changes after an hour?
ReplyDeleteAshley Stepteau 152 ASTR Fall
This was a very interesting lecture. To learn that the Milky way galaxy is as bright as 20 billion suns is astonishing My head can not even comprehend how bright that would even look like. The sun is already bright enough to offer us hours of daylight and to think that it hurts our eyes to stare directly at the sun. Just imagining staring at the Milky way galaxy is unimaginable. This information was truly astonishing.
ReplyDeleteChristopher Posada
ASTR 152
Fall 2016
I cant even visualize how bright how galaxy is compared to our sun. Its painful to even picture. Our sun is the brightest thing I have ever laid my eyes on, so bright it isnt even humanly possible to look at. Our eye cant directly look at it for more than 2 seconds. so the thought of the milky way being 20x as bright is something (actually) out of this earth.
ReplyDeleteWith black holes destroying so much in order to build from dying suns I don't see how we could be alone in this universe. I can image anything being brighter then the sun, living in Southern California the sun is already more then I can take. I also have I night time routine but it gets interrupted during the winter since it gets dark so early.
ReplyDeleteJuvenal Lopez ASTR 152
its crazy how the milky way is 20 times brighter than the sun. when I think about it the sun is so bright that you cant even look at it.
ReplyDeleteArno Avasapian
We have yet to discover and understand everything the universe has to offer, I mean with us being such a small part of it and all, how could we figure it all out? However, you sure make it easier to comprehend what has already been discovered. I can’t even imagine what a milky way might come to look like, but your blog post sure gave me a better perspective of it, 20 billion suns—interesting. Also, reading about galaxies being 5000 times brighter doesn’t sound too crazy until you consider that the one we live in is only at 10 times brighter than others. Topics like these really get you thinking about the bigger picture.
ReplyDeleteDiana Felix ASTR 152
Katie Rosa Astronomy 152 (Online)
ReplyDeleteOnce again I am always informed with new amazing out of this world facts when reading your blogs. It makes it really easy to read when you relate with your audience and you do, thank you. One fact I did not know is that the Milky Way is as bright as 20 billion suns. The fact that we know that is absolutely incredible and proving that our scientist have learned so much. Space is a very big complex thing that we will never fully have all the answers to but simply get answers here and there, although it is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThe most fascinating part of this lecture this week was the fact that "our Milky Way galaxy is as bright as about 20 billion suns. This idea of light having such a grand impact on our universe is so interesting. Every week I'm so compelled to read the lectures and gain such new and incredible information.
Ashley Jackson
ASTR152 ONLINE
FALL 2016
I have seen a pattern in that we clearly don't know everything that will happen later on. It is nearly as though we are tending to a troubling destiny, I trust this is not the situation. When you say the universe was a rough place in the past what do you mean by that? I am fascinated by the theme of dark openings and anticipate adapting more.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite fact from this lecture is that our Milky Way is as bright as 20 billion suns. That's something that I can't even comprehend. How is that even possible? What's even crazier is that there are other galaxies that are even ten times brighter.
ReplyDeleteLearning about how the stars are so bright that they induce the power of over 100 suns is just amazing. How they release so much energy that non of can comprehend is just huge and makes you really think about the power and life that is so far from us.
ReplyDeleteYessenia Gramajo
ReplyDeleteAstr 152/ Spring 2017
There are so many things we have yet to discover and understand about the universe. Just like the ocean – it is huge and we have only discovered less than 5% of it; the universe is the same. Of the universe, we have only discovered about 4% which is the parts of the galaxies, stars and planets that we can see. The other 96% is stuff astronomers cannot see or comprehend. We are so small compared to these huge parts of the Earth. At least we can fully dissect and understand the parts that we can comprehend. It was interesting to find out that the Milky Way is as bright as 20 billion suns. It is astonishing how much we have yet to learn.
This was a great lecture and i enjoyed hearing about your pre exam ritual and i am wondering if it worked out for you every time you did it. Its amazing to learn that the milky way is as bright as 20 billion suns, but if it is so bright why dont we see this brightness? Also how is it possible for something to be some bright?
ReplyDeleteThis was a great lecture, I can relate to your pre exam ritual because I would as well pray before every exam. I also never knew that the Milky Way was as bright as 20 billion suns, I found that quite fascinating.
ReplyDeleteHi Professor,
ReplyDeleteThis lecture was so interesting, I didn't know that our Milky Way is as bright as 20 billion suns. It really make you think how small and insignificant we are when compared to our surroundings.
Talya Joffe
ASTR 152
CSUN
ASTR 152
ReplyDeleteIt is crazy to think that we know so much of our galaxy, however at the same time not know a lot of things about it. When i put this information into perspective and think about how our galaxy is as bright as 20 billion Suns, it blows my mind. It is crazy to think all of this and to know that this is where we live and how much things are out there.
Alejandra Mora
ReplyDeleteAstro 152
The brightness of The universe is remarkable! To know how bright the galaxy is, is incredible. It being comparable to 20 billion suns is unexplainable.
La Vonne Centeno
ReplyDeleteAstr 152/ Spring 17
I was really surprised to find out that the galaxy is as bright as 20 billions suns. I am interested to find out about how bright other galaxies. The sun alone is bright enough, imagine 20 billion of them. It would be very difficult to stay around it. To think about it, since it is this bright, how come we are not burning?
Professor,
ReplyDeleteI know we have discussed many different topics relating to light. We discussed the telescope and the brightness of the sun and other stars. I find it so interesting how the milky way galaxy itself is so bright. Its amazing how the brightness of the galaxy encompasses all of the stars and the sun. Could the brightness of our galaxy prevent us from being able to see other galaxies?
Alexis Alvarez
Hi Professor Choudhary,
ReplyDeleteI find it interesting that you had a prayer ritual the night before a test. I wonder if praying like you did really does help on an exam? The fact that the galaxy is as bright as 20 billion suns is incredible! It hurts me eyes looking at the sun from how bright it is. One thing I learned is that about 100 suns must be destroyed every year and converted into energy to keep it bright. Thank you for this informative blog.
Natalie Bedrosian
Astr 152 online
Hi Professor,
ReplyDeleteI always think of other galaxy should be the same star structure or arrangement as Milky Way. But after read your blog, I changed my conception of other galaxies and propose there is probably many new galaxies that use different way to produce energy or illuminate. Thus it produce more possibilities of how other galaxies operate and what creature they would create.
Yang Liu
Astr 152 online
It was interesting to read about our galaxy. The Milky Way is bright and is as bright as 20 billion suns. The Milky Way is filled of stars, like the sun, which create energy through nuclear fusion. The brightness at the same level does not last long, the brightness changes every hour. Our galaxy is so complex, and dangerous, things are constantly exploding away from the earth. The questions at the end are valid, what would happen?
ReplyDeleteJuliana DLP
ASTR152
Good Afternoon Professor
ReplyDeleteAfter reading your lecture it definitely informed me on your galaxy the Milky Way because I did not know anything about it. I never knew the Milky Way was as bright as 20 billion suns, which is a lot in all.
Ariel Ford
ASTR 152
Soraya Gomez
ReplyDeleteAstr 152
The brightness of the galaxies is interesting. The milky way is as bright as 20 billion suns. Its crazy to think that all this is out there. Another interesting part is that the galaxy we live in is ten times brighter than that. The brightness just keeps increasing. I've never heard of active galaxies before and they are 5000 times brighter.
As a classmate previously said, its amazing to know that in the milky way their is about 20 billion suns and not even have of it is visible to the naked eye. Its definitely very interesting!!
ReplyDeleteELizabeth Escareno
SP 17
Astro 152
Yekaterina Melnik, Astronomy 152 Online, Spring Semester 2017
ReplyDeleteIt is incredible how bright our galaxy is, as bright as twenty suns, I could hardly imagine how bright that might be. It is unfortunate that a hundred suns must be used as fuel for this level of brightness to continue to flourish. Our universe is certainly a violent place, it just shows us that this is the essence of life, death and life are interconnected and often we make great sacrifices and receive far less in return.
Dominic Teran
ReplyDeleteASTRONOMY 152 ONLINE
It is really interesting to hear that our galaxy is both a pretty bright galaxy, yet nowhere near the brightest galaxy. I really like the thought of exploration in space and the idea of going from one galaxy to another is almost impossible to even comprehend. I just think of how awesome it would be to see all these celestial objects and how many different and new things you could discover. It’s a very far away dream and might not even be possible, but I hope one day we can somehow explore this universe to its fullest extent.
It interesting to know what you did before an exam. Wow our galaxy is as bright as 20 billion suns. Its making me more curious about what is out there in our galaxy.
ReplyDeleteCarlos Murillo
ReplyDeleteASTR 152 Online
Imagine if there was intelligent life in another galaxy, but we will never know in our lifetimes because light and sound takes so long to travel. Crazy questions, but a lifetime of learning and hopefully future insights can reveal mysteries of life in other galaxies.
Hello Professor!
ReplyDeleteWow! Just reading the first sentence of the second paragraph dropped my jaw! I would love to know how exactly the amount of light contained in galaxies change in just one hour. This piece is contains so much information that I did not know!
Thank you for sharing,
-Ren
Astronomy 152 online
Eleonor Navarro ASTR 152-16522-Spring 2017
ReplyDeleteProfessor,
I had no idea that our galaxy was that bright! We have so many undiscovered stars and planet in our own galaxy, and I can only imagine what other possibilities are out there outside of our own life. It's amazing how our universe functions and how scientists everyday are making an effort to discover new things. Astronomy helps us understand that there is so much more than what we know right now.
Our galaxy, the Milky Way is illuminated by the stars which produce energy by nuclear fusion which is similar to the sun. However the brightness of these stars are constantly changing some within an hour. Thanks for sharing this article with us, very informative.
ReplyDeleteHello Professor
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy how you interpret your own stories in your blogs. in this blog I enjoyed learning more about the milky way and how it is as bright as 20 suns. This fact really amazed me and stood out to me the most.
Megan Perez
Astronomy 152 (online)
Spring 2017
I never knew galaxies had differing amounts of brightness, nor did I know the process behind how they became so bright. Your posts Professor really help "shed light" on the processes of the universe. It's interesting thinking about how the universe and all of its parts began. As human technology advances, we are able to discover more and more about this large place we inhabit.
ReplyDeleteJessica Levin Samarscova
ASTR 152 Spring 2017
Bertini Nguyen
ReplyDeleteASTR 152 OL Spring 2017
I'm surprised that galaxies could be bright, let alone our own galaxy is brighter than our sun, and here I thought that our own sun is the brightest star in our galaxy. But our own galaxy's brightness can be measured as well.
Upon reading this blog post, I never realized how bright the galaxy is. I never knew it was as bright as 20 billion suns. If the sun seems so bright on Earth, I can not even imagine how bright and hot it would be closer up in the galaxy. It is also quite scary to think of what could potentially be emitted from the black hole. Thank you once again for this informative blog post!
ReplyDeleteAngella Dijamco
ASTR 152 ( Online )
Spring 2017
Kevin Whitmarsh
ReplyDeleteASTR 152 OL
Spring 2017
You stated at the end of your post that we know now so much more than was ever possible for humans to know. Although this is true, it makes you think of the many different possibilities where we could be wrong and all the different possibilities that we may have overlooked. I believe deep down that we don't even know the half of it. I think there is still so much to be explored that we only know a sliver of the actual truth. Although we know so much, the science and exploration will continue for hundreds of years to come.
Cristian Gil 152 Spring 2017
ReplyDeleteI've heard that stars that we see in our sky may not even exist anymore. It takes the light that long to reach us. That is a testament to how bright they are and you mean to tell me there are galaxies 5,000 times brighter. How is this so? Wouldn't the light just fade out?
I am all too familiar with performing rituals the night before a big exam. Even up until several minutes before the exam I can be found performing those rituals. Learning about the way in which bright galaxy’s work is intriguing. For a galaxy to be 5000 times brighter than our own must mean that it can be viewed from a further distance than our own galaxy. I can understand why it’s difficult to look past our own Milky Way to observe plants based on how bright those stars can be.
ReplyDeleteMahrum Arya Zahiri
Astr152 Spring 2017
100859250
This blog post allowed me to comprehend the size and magnitude of our Milky Way galaxy. The idea of it being as bright as 20 billion suns combined is immense and almost impossible to imagine considering the power and size of our sun. This only reestablishes the profound idea behind the size of our universe as it appears to be limitless and expands farther beyond our imagination. We are only a tiny speckle in our galaxy and our Milky Way galaxy is only a minuscule portion of our entire universe. I also enjoyed your story concerning the religious entity,Ganesha, as I have read many great stories and also believe it brings good luck to those that have faith in its power intertwined with all living matters on Earth and abroad in our extended universe.
ReplyDeleteBefore this blog, I was never aware that our Milky Way is as bright as 20 billion suns. It seems so bright, and though we can only imagine it, it also expands our way of thinking because it helps us realize that there are things that we do not know but can be so fascinating to learn about. What was even more fascinating that there are active galaxies that can be 5000 times brighter.
ReplyDeleteRoger Kalidasan
ReplyDeleteAst 152 - Fall 2016/Spring 2017
You know, it's crazy to think of just how small we are in this vast universe that we live in. We spend so much of our time thinking about ourselves and only our well-being, but in the grand scheme of things.. we are so small and insignificant. And with that said, this makes it really humbling and puts things into perspective for me. It really was an amazing experience, being in this class and learning so much about the way the world works. Thank you for shining your insight and making this an enjoyable semester. Though I didn't know what what to expect coming in to this class, I did feel satisfied with everything I've learnt while exiting the class. Thank you again, professor!
I still continue to be fascinated how our universe shines. The brightness of all these objects are truly unimaginable. We may find it normal to see stars, the sun, or the moon; but when you stop and think, you realize those objects are visible to us even from an unimaginable distance. You continue to say we cannot know everything, and the universe is expanding, makes me wonder where does that leave us. Our Milky Way is as bright as 20 billion suns, which kind of makes it seem like we are just a little speck in the world. What do we question, when do we know to stop, where is all of this going to end?
ReplyDeleteCristina Zakaryan
Astr 152 OL Spring 2017
This is around the time that I too feel that I need a prayer or ritual to get me through finals. I’d like to think that there is force out there will support me if I ask for it. I like the idea that we can bless things like erasers and pencils to help us with tough finals. At CSUN we have our own tradition called the Tradition of the Rose in which we honor the Matador statue on Matador Walk and that it will bring us luck for our finals.
ReplyDeleteAbigail Garcia
Astr152 Spring 2017
I found very interesting that our galaxy is so bright and of course that their the active galaxies that are even brighter than ours!
ReplyDeleteSebastian Artola
ReplyDeleteASTR 152 OL
AS I've said before, science is not something I'm very interested in. However, one of the things I am interested in, is the Milky Way. It is astonishing to believe our galaxy is as bright at 20 billion suns; imagine how much light that would radiate! We'd go blind in an instant. The fact that the universe was a violent place in history with the matter situation. I like how in these later blogs, you have also been talking about death and what will eventually come in the universe. You're right, we don't know what will happen in the future, but it is interesting to speculate.
ASTRO 152
ReplyDeleteLike I've said in a previous post, it's crazy that 7 billion of us humans live in one such very small galaxy. The galaxy is as bright as 20 billion suns and that is beyond me. I found it very interesting to read this article and agree with you that we will truly never know everything but we can keep pushing to learn more.
AST 152
ReplyDeleteAs I continue to read these blogposts, and compare my life, my being to the entire universe it always makes me think about how much more could be out there. To learn that the Milky way galaxy is as bright as 20 billion stars just astonishes me. Again it is almost hard to comprehend how that can be, compared to the things that only the naked I can see.
i like this article because it makes me think of murphy's law (whatever can go wrong will go wrong). and it also makes me think of the big bang theory since you said the universe was a violent place in the past.
ReplyDeleteWith time I feel like the Universe can be so complex. I don't think we will every truly discover the Universe fully. There is so many things that we probably aren't aware of and probably generations after us might discover.
ReplyDeleteEmery Hernandez
ASTR 152 Online
Spring 2017
I didn't know that our Milky Way is as bright as 20 billion suns. Also that about 100 suns have to be destroyed every year and converted into energy to keep it bright. I learned so many new things in every, blog really cool stuff.
ReplyDeleteHow did this all happen? Are really great question. The fact that there is so much unknown about our universe and with the only option is to grow and learn more about to discover. Only time will tell. Just a thought, but it would be interesting to allocate all of one stars in one location, clustered together and observe the results. This may break the law of effects, but just a thought!
ReplyDelete-Anthony Martires (ASTRO 152)
I really liked how you told us about the ritual you would do before exams; I think that is a really cool way to prepare. I never knew how bright our milky way galaxy was; I can’t believe it is as bright as 20 billion suns. Thank you for all the great information you shared about our galaxy. I learned a lot through this blog; I learned some things about the matter in the center of the galaxy and about the stars.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth Luna
Astr 152
Summer 2017
I recently wrote a paper on the importance of sacrifice and I find it amusing that even in astronomy I can find examples of this. These suns sacrifice themselves in order to keep the galaxy bright. It's amazing! I would also like to touch on the fact that the universe used to be a dangerous place. It's weird because I am already terrified of space because of it's vastness, and now you are telling me that it was scarier than this. I am just curious as to how it was more dangerous? Did planets, and galaxies crash into each other? Was gravity out of whack? I don't know if that's a dumb question, but I'm no astronomer. I would just like to know what it was like, and how we found out.
ReplyDeleteRayleen Silva
ASTR152-- Summer 2017
I cannot believe how bright the Milky Way Galaxy is. What also surprised me was about how 100 suns must be destroyed every year and are converted into energy to keep it bright. There is so much work and energy in the process that we do not see or most of us may not even were aware, I certainly was not. Thank you for this blog post Professor.
ReplyDeleteElia Narvaez
ASTR 152 (Online) Summer 2017
I love when huge measurements are put into relative terms, like the idea that the Milky Way is as bright as 20 billion suns. It really puts the whole idea into perspective and makes it a lot easier to understand. Understanding the universe can be so hard to grasp without these relative ideas, and even then it is still hard to imagine. The universe is so bright and expansive that it is hard to believe that any human can truly understand it's size.
ReplyDeleteHeather Friedman
ASTR152 Summer 2017
I thought our sun was bright already. I mean after all, we can barely look at it for one second. I cannot imagine how bright our galaxy looks, taking on 20 billion suns. It did not really occur to me however that 100 suns were destroyed and converted to energy every year. That number seems large, but in the scheme of things is quite small. As our galaxy is continuously expanding it is hard not to think about the end and when that might occur if at all. We are a tiny planet in a giant universe, and learning this is very humbling. It makes me put into perspective the things I have going on, and how some problems aren't as big as I make them to be.
ReplyDeleteWe've created artificial lights that are not even close to the sun's true brightness. Yet, the Milky Way is 20 billion times brighter than our solar system's sun. Even more surreal is that there are active galaxies in the universe that are even brighter than the Milky Way. I was surprised to learn that a massive amount of energy production comes from the super massive black holes. I always thought that black holes were the enablers of destruction. I especially liked your statement about the importance of humans to understand the history of the universe, so we can understand our true destiny.
ReplyDeleteJulius Loredo
ASTR 152 Summer 2017
I never thought about how bright our galaxy would be with all these stars but it amazing how its as bright as 20 million Suns. It's incredible to think that there are galaxies out there that are brighter than ours!
ReplyDeleteNazenie Parsamyan
ASTR 152 (Online) Summer 2017
100 suns need to explode every year? That is insane. I know that it is said that our sun will explode some day, I just never thought of other suns exploding. It also never even crossed my mind that galaxies would be bright. Of course they would be bright, but I had never even thought of it. It does make sense that the universe used to be more hectic and relatively the universe is calm now. However, in the future, our universe today could be seen as hectic. You never know what the future will hold, just like you said.
ReplyDeleteShayla Mayers
ASTR 152 Summer 2017
I never knew until now that our galaxy, the Milky Way, was a normal galaxy. It consists of all these beautiful stars, constellations, and other things and to think that our galaxy is just normal is quite fascinating. I never would of thought that our own galaxy would be so big and meaningful until I read this chapter and this blog post.
ReplyDeleteSarah Choi
ASTR 152 Online Summer 2017
It interesting to learn how our universe and our galaxy is large that we are only one small part of the whole entire galaxy. And how the milky way galaxy is just as bright as 20 billion sun.
ReplyDeleteJasmine Ulloa
ASTR 152 Online Summer 2017
it is crazy to think about how much matter is flowing into black holes to be burned for energy. So much happens inside black holes, and yet they are so mysterious.
ReplyDeleteKathryn Munster
ASTR 152 Summer 2017
I ENJOYED THIS BLOG AND HOW IS THE GALAXY IS BRIGHTER THAN THE SUN BY SO MUCH IN EVERY BLOG WE WOULD LEARN MORE AND MORE ABOUT OUR UNIVERSE
ReplyDeleteABDULAZIZ ALMURAD
ASTR 152 SUMMER 2017
Yasaman Khani
ReplyDeleteASTR 152
Every time subject of black hole comes up somewhere, it immediately attracts my attention. There is so much we don't know about black wholes and it makes me want to live a very long life till we, as human beings, can find out more about black holes!
Very interesting blog and i am agree with this:"Our fate, our destiny – the common destiny is intertwined with the universe we live in." we'd better know more about the universe. the universe is so mysterious.
ReplyDeleteYiting Wu
Astr 152 Online
Summer 2017
For the Milky Way to be that bright is incredible. I wonder if someone lived in a distant galaxy, and looked at our Milky Way, if it would like our sun. I wonder how long its been this way.
ReplyDeleteThank you,
Daniel Kwon
ASTR 152 Summer 2017
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteAishabibi Zhursinbek
ReplyDeleteASTR 152
Summer 2017
Very interesting post! The facts, such as the Milky way galaxy is as bright as about 20 billion suns, or, 100 suns must be destroyed every year and converted into energy to keep it bright, just amaze me.
Thank you fro this information!