VY Canis Majoris is bigger than anything I’m worrying about
The Art Philosopher
Posted on: 12th Mar, 2013
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Yesterday I got a touch distracted and couldn’t really concentrate on one thing or another so I took to Facebook for a minute and read the news feed of friends, acquaintances and other. We all have a collective ‘other’. I found myself balking at a post saying something along the lines of “Help a man when he’s down and don’t step over him….”It was a little more poetic. The person who posted this altruistic slogan, had, not a day before been bitching and whining about someone who is actually going through a tough time. Hold on? But you just posted that… Oh wait, you didn’t REALLY mean it? Gosh, I nearly bought into the misconception that you gave a shit about people. That’s what made me balk and had me on the verge of becoming atrocious so I moved swiftly on to a music video someone had posted and then on to You Tube where I clicked on other tempting videos that taunted me on the side panel. I eventually came to a space video. I really don’t know how that happened.
I am captivated by space. When I was younger I’d lie in bed transfixed by those glow-in-the-dark stars that you stick to the ceiling, you know, the ones that fall off onto your face in the wee hours making your dreamy state believe that you are being eaten alive by arachnids. Obviously, they had to go.
I’d lie there imagining the planets and stars, galaxies and space and think where does it end?
Well it doesn’t end, it goes on forever.
Or does it?
If it does what’s after that?
Nothingness.
Well what’s nothingness?
Nothing has to be something doesn’t it?
Suffice to say I would drive myself bonkers. It both intrigues and terrifies together.
The biggest known star (I believe) is called VY Canis Majoris which has a diameter of 2.800.000.000 km. I know, that’s not even a number- it’s a noise. A passenger jet travelling at 900 km/h would take 1100 years to get around it. You can get around ours in 24 hours. It starts to put things into perspective for me like how small our world is; how tiny you and I really are. Insignificant really. So why worry about peoples petty foibles, whether or not I can afford to go to Bora Bora, who’s got what and who hasn’t and so on. In the grand scheme of things all that anybody wants is to give love, be loved, be healthy and have FUN along the way. The rest is just background noise. Sometimes distractions can prove to be most useful. As my good friend told me yesterday ” Don’t let it harsh your mellow”
For anyone getting too ugly for their Uggs – I leave you with this:
45 Comments on VY Canis Majoris is bigger than anything I’m worrying about
Clark Snyder
12th Mar, 2013 17:03
It gets even more strange. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=564188040268878&set=a.456449604376056.98921.367116489976035&type=1&theater
Juliette
12th Mar, 2013 20:03
Ten to the power of 45,000- blimey. I must be meant to do something awesome
Azra
12th Mar, 2013 18:03
You and I both! I’ve always ALWAYS been captivated, intrigued, flabbergasted by what lies beyond! I even did a similar post once, called “Insignificant”… because that’s exactly the type of feeling you’re left with after pondering about it just for a short while. *sigh* Wouldn’t it be so awesome though, to travel through space together oohhing and aahhing at everything!
Juliette
12th Mar, 2013 20:03
It would be brilliant and I’d love it! Would make a 20 hour trip to Bora Bora seem effortless!
Gorilla Bananas
12th Mar, 2013 18:03
“I’d lie there imagining the planets and stars, galaxies and space and think where does it end?”
I know the answer to that! Space is curved, so you never get to the edge. A light beam travelling away from the earth will eventually get back to the earth in an unimaginable amount of time (if nothing gets in its way). It’s like travelling on the surface of the earth, you never get to the edge.
That’s what Einstein said and Einstein is big in the Congo!
Juliette
12th Mar, 2013 20:03
He might be big in the Congo but he couldn’t get his head round quantum mechanics and spooky entanglement ! The more DVDs and vids I watch on the matter of the universe, the more I am swayed toward it all being just a computer simulation.
Dean
12th Mar, 2013 21:03
The universe is nothing but a sublime speck of ethereal flotsam adrift in a quiet corner of gods subconscious, lost to his mind while he sleeps.
That answers a great many questions about the universe and our place in it. As I see it it only leaves two questions unfathomed:
How big is that damn bed he’s in and where the hell is it???
Juliette
13th Mar, 2013 10:03
Sounds very Terry Pratchett,Dean – I like that. Thing is, I’m rather concerned what God is dreaming about. And why is he sleeping in a bed? He should be on a mass of cloud and angel feathers. In fact, he shouldn’t be sleeping at all he has too many prayers to get through!
Masher
12th Mar, 2013 23:03
The universe? Yes, I’ve seen it.
It’s rubbish.
Rgds
Marvin
Juliette
13th Mar, 2013 10:03
Ha ha.
Sounds more like Karl Pilkington does that, Marv.
Belle
13th Mar, 2013 07:03
The stars do make us think. There is something magnificent out there. I think you are right, love is the most important thing in life.
Juliette
13th Mar, 2013 10:03
Love and Green & Blacks chocolate.
It’s mesmerising isn’t it belle. I’d love to have a float round with my camera.
David P. King
13th Mar, 2013 13:03
Ah, space. It never ceases to fuel my inspiration wagon. 🙂
Juliette
13th Mar, 2013 16:03
Oooh, I’d like an inspiration wagon. Where do I get one of those?
David P. King
18th Mar, 2013 14:03
There’s sadly not a huge market for them, so I had to make my own. It’s all rickety and ghetto-fabulous. 🙂
Juliette
19th Mar, 2013 17:03
Gosh, it sounds marvellous!
the late phoenix
13th Mar, 2013 15:03
we were just talking about nothingness over at my blog. of course, my blog having the reputation that it does, most thought we were discussing nakedness…
Juliette
13th Mar, 2013 16:03
Ha ha! Well now I’m intrigued…
Mark Noce
13th Mar, 2013 16:03
Glad the universe is vast…lots to explore. But the universe inside me is much bigger than that;)
Juliette
13th Mar, 2013 16:03
WOW, Mark you must be ENORMOUS! I quite agree, as is mine.
Siobhán
13th Mar, 2013 21:03
Wow to know! Space always puts things in perspective! Even looking up at the moon swings my mind back to cosmic awareness. Thanks for sharing Juliette! We’d all do well to keep it in mind while venturing forth through the trivialities and petty detritus of day-to-day living.
As Carl Sagan said ‘For small creatures such as we, the vastness is bearable only through love.’
(I came across this quote beside a picture of the ‘heart nebula’ – a heart shaped cluster of stars – it’s worth looking at! – http://www.stellareyes.com) 🙂
Juliette
15th Mar, 2013 13:03
I love the moon. The moon is very peaceful and calming. Oh that sounds lovely , I shal go and look, thank you Siobhan 🙂
Juliette
15th Mar, 2013 13:03
I shall – I shall – I have a sticky keyboard. And I can’t for the life of me find the accent for the a or an a with an accent in your name on my keyboard and trust me, I’ve looked EVERYWHERE. I’d like help with this people.
Siobhán
19th Mar, 2013 11:03
‘alt gr’ button and ‘a’ (or whatever letter you want to accent) pressed at the same time – and voilá – an accent! 🙂
Juliette
21st Mar, 2013 19:03
a A a – no it’s not working – wish I had a pen…
Deidre
14th Mar, 2013 05:03
Space is absolutely incredible. But I think what I find most daunting is the vastness of all the things we don’t know.
Juliette
15th Mar, 2013 13:03
I know – it’s freeeeeaky man! Don’t get me started again Deirdre, I’ve just got myself together.
David Macaulay
14th Mar, 2013 13:03
Interesting post Juliette – yes space is so scarily big it does my head in thinking about it, although I get fascinated when I do. It’s like bigger than Manchester and Glasgow combined I believe…
Juliette
15th Mar, 2013 13:03
Why thank you David. NO WAY. Nuffin’ is bigger than Manchester!
Optimistic Existentialist
14th Mar, 2013 15:03
I LOVE thinking of the immensity of the universe. Is it infinite? and if so, how do we even comprehend infinity? So many questions. Wonderful post my friend.
~Keith
Juliette
15th Mar, 2013 13:03
I can’t get my head around infinity. It’s way too infinite.
Thank you Keith 🙂
Girl with a New Life
15th Mar, 2013 14:03
I also loved those glow in the dark star stickers as a child.
I’m posting this video to my google+ feed. Thank you for sharing!
Juliette
17th Mar, 2013 09:03
Ah, another lover of sticky, glowing stars!
Thank you GWANL, that’s very kind of you 🙂
Susan
15th Mar, 2013 16:03
It’s possible that I am a God believer because I fear the alternative–nothingness. But if we are nothing, then it won’t matter much anyway–makes this life very crucial indeed.
I was a space freak as a kid, but the mathematics of astronomy killed my interest.
Juliette
17th Mar, 2013 09:03
I know what you mean, safer to hedge your bets. Nothingness. Terr -I-Fy-Ing.
Yeah, maths tends to do that.
Thanks for the visist Susan 🙂
The Blue Grumpster
16th Mar, 2013 20:03
A space video… is that a fact?. Well, sometimes a space video is all we need, Jules. And a bit of extra space, of course. A passenger jet travelling at 900 km/h would take 1100 years to get around that thing? Well, I guess it’s pretty pointless to buy a ticket then…
Let’s go to Bora Bora instead. 🙂
Juliette
17th Mar, 2013 09:03
Well, well, well it’s The Blue Grumpster! Where has he been? Has he been to London to see the Queen?
I’m with you ALL THE WAY my blue friend – Ready and waiting. Bora, Bora has a special kind of nothingness going on, a kind of lazy, drink margaritas, lie in a hammock kind of nothingness…
The Blue Grumpster
17th Mar, 2013 21:03
Believe it or not but I’ve been working my blue butt off. It’s quite an experience…. I could do with a hammock right now. 🙂
Juliette
18th Mar, 2013 09:03
I hope you haven’t laddered your tights in the frenzy.
Don’t work too hard. 🙂
The Blue Grumpster
19th Mar, 2013 07:03
I had to buy myself some new tights, actually, but I had a great weekend and my batteries are now fully recharged. Well, maybe less depleted…
Juliette
19th Mar, 2013 17:03
Like a duracell bunny 🙂 I’m pleased to hear it.
goatman
17th Mar, 2013 19:03
If you think of space as curved it makes it a bit easier to imagine the infinity of the universe. You come back to where you were happy and none the worst for the trip.
We used to sleep in the back yard, summers, and once I saw something explode up there. I may have been the only one to have seen that — my secret cosmic demise.
(we would also sneak over to the swimming pool to swim these warm nights but that has nothing to do with space. Or does it?)
Juliette
18th Mar, 2013 09:03
I’ve tried that goatman but STILL can’t get my head round infinity. I usually just move swiftly on to a nice glass of wine and banal entertainment and the chaos in my mind eventually subdues.
Ha ha! I think its great that you went sneaking off to the swimming pool – was it an infinity pool?
Optimistic Existentialist
21st Mar, 2013 15:03
Looking forward to your next post 🙂
Juliette
21st Mar, 2013 19:03
Thank you Keith 🙂
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