Earth........a giant space ship racing arond the sun at light speed

[X-Ray]

In case anyone has forgotten, (what this topic is really about)  , yep I absolutely am amazed when I look up at the stars at night, ( We have no lights around us so the stars are brilliant), and to think how it all started etc etc and what lies way way out there, it is mind boggling. I for one just cant comprehend how "space" never ends.

[Capn Ron]

In case anyone has forgotten, (what this topic is really about)  , yep I absolutely am amazed when I look up at the stars at night, ( We have no lights around us so the stars are brilliant), and to think how it all started etc etc and what lies way way out there, it is mind boggling. I for one just cant comprehend how "space" never ends.

I remember being around 8 years old on family camping trips...I used to get into these deep conversations with my mom looking up at the stars.  I'd ask her, "But just how big is the universe?"  "Infinite...it goes on forever" she would say.  We can almost sort out in our minds what an infinite number is...Well, it's sufficiently large to make a specific result in an equation and we move on... "But what's on the other side of the universe?"  "Is this just one universe in a fish tank of hundreds of universes?  "...Are there hundreds of fish tanks full of hundreds of universes?"  "...and where are all these fish tanks kept...how big must THAT universe be??"  We asked lots of questions, would have some very memorable conversations, but really wouldn't solve much.  More questions led to more questions.

Some of these great memories and lingering questions led me to take a few astronomy classes at UCLA.  I got the answers to MANY of those early questions.  For one, I learned that the universe is expanding outward in every direction.  Okay...expanding into WHAT?  UG.  Truly mind boggling. 

There are things I will never understand in my lifetime and that's just fine.  I can live a great life and be a good human understanding 80% of it all (if I'm lucky) and just move on.  As Benjamin Franklin said, "We don't need to understand gravity in order to preserve our fine china...just keep a good grip on it."

I've also learned in life that a quote has more validity if you claim that Benjamin Franklin said it. 

Cap'n Ron. . .

[X-Ray]

Ron you have explained the reasoning behind the question and the wonder perfectly! I understand stars,  solar systems, even black holes (eventually), BUT, a never ending void that is "space", lol. I just think, it has always been here, and has no boundaries. Then I think but, but...............

[Capn Ron]

Ron you have explained the reasoning behind the question and the wonder perfectly! I understand stars,  solar systems, even black holes (eventually), BUT, a never ending void that is "space", lol. I just think, it has always been here, and has no boundaries. Then I think but, but...............

Yeah..."Endless space in all directions"...that will really twist your mind!

When I look up at the stars here in the northern hemisphere, I'm gazing off in a different direction than you are...The fact that we recognize named constellations is evidence that man has always looked out and made a connection to the stars...and I imagine...wondered what's beyond.

The first long night passage I made in a sailboat was out of San Diego around 20 years ago.  We left at around 10:00pm for three days at sea with four souls on board...Two of which immediately went to sleep in the v-berth leaving myself and my girlfriend at the time to sort out helm, navigation and watch tasks for the next eight hours.  With the curvature of the earth, we lost sight of land-based lights an hour or so outside of Point Loma and we were truly on our own.  It was a clear, moonless night and the stars were spectacular!  I was following a GPS and occasionally checking the compass heading to keep us on course.  That would then turn to just following the compass and gazing up at Orion.  My girlfriend had fallen asleep and now it was just me and Orion out on the open water in the pitch black night.  I would look up at Orion, then down at the compass, then back at Orion.  It's position in the night sky...as long as I kept it in the same spot, was as reliable as the compass for keeping me on the proper heading.  Through the long night, Orion and I became good friends.  He was always there for me, showing me the way and giving me some comfort knowing I wasn't alone.

One of my goals is to be sailing at night and see the Southern Cross.  Of course that would mean being in your part of the world.  

Cap'n Ron. . .

[CanDman]

only a skilled captain and his 1st mate could steer this ship back on course....thx Ron n Ray. Imagine what a dark world it would be without the stars in the night sky.

[Klavdy]

only a skilled captain and his 1st mate could steer this ship back on course....thx Ron n Ray. Imagine what a dark world it would be without the stars in the night sky.

Imagine a dark world, like when it's cloudy.

[CanDman]

only a skilled captain and his 1st mate could steer this ship back on course....thx Ron n Ray. Imagine what a dark world it would be without the stars in the night sky.

Imagine a dark world, like when it's cloudy.

You know what else I imagine? A world where people like you and me can passionately disagree .......and still share this planet in peace 

[axiom-r]

Lots of talk about the stars these days.  The nature of reality blah blah blah...  This guy: Nassim Haramein has a new model for a unified field theory that is making some of the more traditional astro physicists uncomfortable....check out the Resonance Project to go deeper.  On the surface some new age bullshit but the science is real and it turns some widely held beliefs upside down.....

Our Sun is going 70,000 km/hour through space so the model of our solar system might look something like this.....

Weird.

The helical model - our solar system is a vortex

[FJmonkey]

Wow!! That is such a mind F%$k!! But some of it makes sense to this Simian based life form...

[CanDman]

Wow!! That is such a mind F%$k!! But some of it makes sense to this Simian based life form...

......never thought I would see anyone "Shock the Monkey"........but I must say....pretty cool theory.......





                    Peter Gabriel - Shock The Monkey

[FJmonkey]

You already played that one... I like it, but what else do you have??

[CanDman]

You already played that one... I like it, but what else do you have??

.....hey...that happens to be one of my fav's...I love that song...so it gives me  great big smile to associate that song with you.....but let me see.....


how bout this one....



              The Monkees Theme Song


...doesn't mean I softening on evolution.....

[FeralRdr]

Revenge of the Nerds 2

Even Deeper.  

[FJmonkey]

.....hey...that happens to be one of my fav's...I love that song...so it gives me  great big smile to associate that song with you.....but let me see.....
how bout this one....
The Monkees Theme Song
...doesn't mean I softening on evolution.....

That will pass for now... I like them and still enjoy hearing their music. The last train to Clarksville stands out from my youth.

http://search.yahoo.com/search?ei=utf-8&fr=ytff1-yff27&p=last%20train%20to%20clarksville%20monkees&type=

Poomba, everything with you is gas...

[Capn Ron]

Wow!! That is such a mind F%$k!! But some of it makes sense to this Simian based life form...

So, we've all evolved from...well...from...MARK???  Mind blown.   

Cap'n Ron. . .