Astronomy Facts – An Overview
How many astronomy fact can you think of? Consider that there are somewhere around 1 x 10 ^22 stars in the universe, that’s a one followed by 22 zeros. Then consider that many of those stars have planets surrounding them. Then consider all the moons that orbit the planets, the comets and asteroids, the galaxies these stars form, the nebulae and black holes and everything else out there. It’s a lot to consider. This article, which presents astronomy facts, certainly won’t contain every fact. Walked is here, however, is interesting.
The data on the brightest star as seen from Earth are good astronomy facts. The son, about 250,000 times closer than the next star, isn’t counted here. We get so much light from the sun that when it shines none of the other stars can be seen. Keep in mind that in the scale for the magnitudes given, lower numbers are brighter. The son is approximately 26.73, with the full moon weighing in at -12.6. And now to the top five.
#5 is the Arabic word for eagle or vulture, Vega. This star has a magnitude of .03, and is 25 light-years from Earth. When looking at these astronomy facts remember that brightest from Earth doesn’t mean largest or brightest. The Sun is not the largest or brightest star in the universe or even the galaxy, yet it appears so bright because it is so near compared to other stars.
#4 goes to Rigel Kentaurus, or foot of the centaur. It scores a magnitude of -.01, and is only 4 light-years from Earth.
At #3, is Arcturus, according to the astronomy facts we know. In Greek that means guardian of the bear. Arcturus is 37 light-years from Earth.
Canopus comes in at #2. In reality it’s the brightest of all of these top five stars. However, it’s 313 light-years away from Earth, so it looks second brightest as seen from this planet. -.62 is its magnitude is seen from the planet Earth.
#1 is the Greek word for scorching, Sirius. Sirius is also known as the Dog Star because it’s the brightest star in the constellation of Big Dog. It’s only 9 light years from Earth. That’s second closest of these top five. At -1.44 magnitude it’s the brightest star we can see from Earth.
This information doesn’t even scratch the surface of astronomy facts. But it’s something to consider next time you look into the sky.
More fun facts about astronomy…
Astronomy is a fun science filled with many astronomy fun facts. This includes information about the size of stars and the distance of our earth from the center of our own Milky Way galaxy. All of this information can be recalled to entertain and enlighten people.
The Sun is a great source of astronomy fun facts. Measurements show it between 91 and 94.5 million miles from Earth. It isn’t that scientists don’t know. It’s that the Earth orbits the sun in an elliptical, uneven, orbit. The distance varies depending on where the Earth lies in that orbit.
The size of our son also provides many astronomy fun facts. 98% of all the matter in our solar system is inside the Sun. Even with Jupiter on our side, we’re still a measly 2% of non “the sun” stuff. Over 1.6 million earths would fit inside this star. An AU is the distance from the Earth to the Sun. The solar winds extend 50 AU’s from the sun.
Shall we turn to some astronomy fun facts that don’t have to do with the sun? Isn’t the moon interesting? In all the universe man has only walked upon the earth and the moon. And one human man actually traveled to the moon but never left it. Dr. Eugene Shoemaker didn’t make the cut for astronauts. But when he died he was cremated and his ashes spread over the moon in 1999.
There are even more astronomy fun facts covering the moon. Ralph Kramden, in the hit TV series Honeymooners, constantly threatened to send his wife to the moon. In 1988 13% of people questioned believed the moon is made of cheese. And finally the suits worn by the moon walking astronauts weighed 180 pounds on Earth but only 30 pounds on the moon. I’d bet the astronauts thanked their lucky stars for that.
There are astronomy fun facts about faraway objects too. The stars we see are a gateway to the past. It can take millions of years foe light from some stars to reach us. It could be that some of those stars blinked out long ago. The number of stars in the sky is a one followed by 22 zeros. Oh boy that’s a lot.
There are even more astronomy fun facts. But this article can’t. Learn more for yourself.
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