Why is space so beautiful

Compiling pictures of space for a software project,

such magnificent beauty, beckons the question? why is it so beautiful.

Is it our pretence to admire patterns and geometry, perhaps it is the artistic genius of god himself that leaves in awe at the stars when we gaze into the vastness of it all, time and space.

I never felt smaller until I got into astronomy, realising my complete insignificance in the presence of an ever expanding, hyper-gigantic universe filled with stars, planets and crazy objects, like neutron stars, pulsars and of course the ever enigmatic black holes.

But when I got REALLY into astronomy, and realised the atoms that made up my very body were forged in the heart of a star billions of years ago, from the iron in my blood to the very earth I walk upon. I never felt larger knowing I'm a part of that...

It's magnificent isn't it? oh how I yearn to transverse the stars and see it all, I sometimes feel its such a shame I'll never get to see the rings of saturn, or the top of Mt. Olympus Mons...

One day I hope for humanity we will travel the stars; I hope so, if we haven't destroyed ourselves over each other's gods or because we didn't like each other's skin colour, I hope we manage that...

Reply 1

Danny the Geezer

21

It's not man-made and can't easily be destroyed.

Reply 2

william walker

3

The trouble is that it doesn't really look like that.

Reply 3

Smilin’ Knight

12

Yes, would love to go into space one day, just to see... well... everything...

Unfortunately practical deep space travel is probably a few hundred years away so for now we can only go there in our dreams :moon:

Reply 4

TheMaster102

OP

10

Original post by william walker

The trouble is that it doesn't really look like that.

What do you mean william, explain I am intrigued, I am no astrophysicist but I do love the subject.

Reply 5

william walker

3

Original post by TheMaster102

What do you mean william, explain I am intrigued, I am no astrophysicist but I do love the subject.

Well things look lovely in space because they are blocks of light from millions of light years away. So it look together and solid. Whereas if you actually went to these places and got closer to space you couldn't see these beautiful things anymore.

You should watch a podcast by a guy called Bill Whittle he goes into it all the time. I love his podcast called 'The stratosphere lounge'.

Reply 6

Little Popcorns

21

How come everyone's so airy fairy tonight?

Reply 7

TheonlyMrsHolmes

19

Original post by Little Popcorns

How come everyone's so airy fairy tonight?

That's actually true, I'm in that mood right now :redface:

Reply 8

Smilin’ Knight

12

Original post by Little Popcorns

How come everyone's so airy fairy tonight?

cos the aussies won :frown:

Reply 9

aamirac

20

I find it all very interesting, though my favourite has to be quantum particles then astrophysics, weird how such small things can make something as big as our forever expanding universe.

Reply 10

K.C

11

Original post by Little Popcorns

How come everyone's so airy fairy tonight?

today is feels day

Reply 11

TheMaster102

OP

10

Original post by william walker

Well things look lovely in space because they are blocks of light from millions of light years away. So it look together and solid. Whereas if you actually went to these places and got closer to space you couldn't see these beautiful things anymore.

You should watch a podcast by a guy called Bill Whittle he goes into it all the time. I love his podcast called 'The stratosphere lounge'.

Still doesn't make it less beautiful though, but I know what you mean, for instance nebulae is just gas so when you actually go there you don't see much,

but some of the sights are gorgeous no matter where you are, for instance saturn is so beautiful, it's got a strange polished look.

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CAcQjRxqFQoTCNujrq-up8gCFUFcFAodUn4FQA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sun.org%2Fimages%2Fsaturn-cassini-image&psig=AFQjCNEoOtQxInxUlwSfOsC2lU1IGjcS7w&ust=1443998132063537

Reply 12

elliemayxo

10

I've been obsessed with the idea of space since I was about 7. So I hear what you're saying.

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 13

KommunistCake

12

There's so much of it, we can't even begin to comprehend how vast space really is.

When I look up to the stars on a clear night, I'm reminded that no matter what feats humanity may achieve, how much we think mankind rules planet Earth - that we're very insignificant in the grand scheme of things.

Reply 14

william walker

3

Original post by TheMaster102

Still doesn't make it less beautiful though, but I know what you mean, for instance nebulae is just gas so when you actually go there you don't see much,

but some of the sights are gorgeous no matter where you are, for instance saturn is so beautiful, it's got a strange polished look.

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CAcQjRxqFQoTCNujrq-up8gCFUFcFAodUn4FQA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sun.org%2Fimages%2Fsaturn-cassini-image&psig=AFQjCNEoOtQxInxUlwSfOsC2lU1IGjcS7w&ust=1443998132063537

Yep Bill Whittle talked about Saturn and the Moon. That was about it.

Reply 15

z33

21

I agree man. Did you know the number of plank lengths it would take to stretch across one human brain cell is the same number of brain cells it would take to stretch across the entire universe. This means that humans... no the human brain... is sized precisely in the middle of all physical matter. :eek:

but at the end of the day, even if we were cavemen without any knowledge of how the universe works, if we look up into that night sky and see the other worlds and stars out there - it feels like nothing matters anymore

Reply 16

Rakas21

21

Original post by Smilin’ Knight

Yes, would love to go into space one day, just to see... well... everything...

Unfortunately practical deep space travel is probably a few hundred years away so for now we can only go there in our dreams :moon:

I think we are further along the road to space than most people think.

To start with, we've already found 3000 planets and the combination of 2 telescopes going up in 2017 stands a decent chance of finding a habitable world within a relatively close distance (we have lots of red dwarfs nearby).

Next, there are companies aiming to mine space by 2050. These are somewhat realistic plans if a viable way to mine in space is found. Its feasible that we could there and back and carry the cargo with something like a Skylon craft.

Third, we've produced nuclear fusion. At current expectations we can have commercial versions in the 2040's (provided ITER works). If a smaller engine can be made, we are at Alpha Centuri in the 2050-2060's potentially.

Finally though, we've actually begun to try create anti-matter and have a mathematical theory to go faster than light. There's a massive efficiency problem with the proof right now (you'd need something the size of Jupiter to store enough anti-matter) but if we can crack the process of creating it then its feasible that we'll be going faster than light sometime next century.

Also interesting is that between condensates and having created a particle with negative density. Anti-gravity is a real possibility.

Reply 17

The Warsmith

18

As an amateur astronomer and astrophysicist, I can wholly relate.

I've always felt at peace when gazing at a clear night sky.

Reply 18

k3ro

16

agreed.

my favourite lab as an undergrad was astrophysics. at the end of the course i got to take photos of the 2013 lovejoy comet. turned out quite pretty. :ahee:

Reply 19

username1854431

16

I'm gonna be that idiot that says:

Define beauty

Why is space so beautiful

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