Skeptic Friends Network

Username:
Password:
Save Password
Forgot your Password?
Home | Forums | Active Topics | Active Polls | Register | FAQ | Contact Us  
  Connect: Chat | SFN Messenger | Buddy List | Members
Personalize: Profile | My Page | Forum Bookmarks  
 All Forums
 Our Skeptic Forums
 Astronomy
 Big numbers, the Universe and guesstimation
 New Topic  Topic Locked
 Printer Friendly Bookmark this Topic BookMark Topic
Next Page
Author Previous Topic Topic Next Topic
Page: of 2

BigPapaSmurf
SFN Die Hard

3192 Posts

Posted - 10/03/2006 :  05:36:16  Show Profile Send BigPapaSmurf a Private Message
For this thread lets assume that the Universe is roughly spherical.

It is estimated that there are between 100-200 billion galaxies in the observable universe with roughly 50 billion stars each. The Universe is estimated to be 156-216 light years in diameter, where the observable universe is 27.4 [edit]billion light years in diameter.

So the volume of the observable universe is 10,770,858,256,000 cubic LY. (4/3piR^3)

At 156LYD, the actual universe is 1,987,798,768,764,000 cubic LY
-with 100B galaxies in the OU, this would translate into,
18,450,000,000,000 galaxies
922,500,000,000,000,000,000,000 stars
-with 200B galaxies in the OU, this would translate into,
36,900,000,000,000 galaxies
1,845,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 stars

At 216LYD, the actual universe is 5,276,669,285,132,000 cubic LY
-with 100B galaxies in the OU, this would translate into,
48,990,000,000,000 galaxies
2,449,500,000,000,000,000,000,000 stars
-with 200B galaxies in the OU, this would translate into,
97,980,000,000,000 galaxies
4,899,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 stars

And finally it is estimated that as much as 90% of the mass of the universe in unobservable dark matter.

Your homework?, determine the total number of quarks in the universe. (3/proton or neutron)

"...things I have neither seen nor experienced nor heard tell of from anybody else; things, what is more, that do not in fact exist and could not ever exist at all. So my readers must not believe a word I say." -Lucian on his book True History

"...They accept such things on faith alone, without any evidence. So if a fraudulent and cunning person who knows how to take advantage of a situation comes among them, he can make himself rich in a short time." -Lucian critical of early Christians c.166 AD From his book, De Morte Peregrini

Edited by - BigPapaSmurf on 10/04/2006 05:03:23

pleco
SFN Addict

USA
2998 Posts

Posted - 10/03/2006 :  06:33:29   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Visit pleco's Homepage Send pleco a Private Message
quote:
The Universe is estimated to be 156-216 light years in diameter, where the observable universe is 27.4 light years in diameter.


??? Is this "just for instance"

BTW, the answer is "a gazillion".

by Filthy
The neo-con methane machine will soon be running at full fart.
Edited by - pleco on 10/03/2006 06:35:07
Go to Top of Page

BigPapaSmurf
SFN Die Hard

3192 Posts

Posted - 10/03/2006 :  06:37:51   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send BigPapaSmurf a Private Message
Actaully its a google-plex plus 1, and yes this thread is just for the hell of it, if thats what you mean.

"...things I have neither seen nor experienced nor heard tell of from anybody else; things, what is more, that do not in fact exist and could not ever exist at all. So my readers must not believe a word I say." -Lucian on his book True History

"...They accept such things on faith alone, without any evidence. So if a fraudulent and cunning person who knows how to take advantage of a situation comes among them, he can make himself rich in a short time." -Lucian critical of early Christians c.166 AD From his book, De Morte Peregrini
Go to Top of Page

filthy
SFN Die Hard

USA
14408 Posts

Posted - 10/03/2006 :  13:12:03   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send filthy a Private Message
Here's something that I found interesting:
quote:
STOCKHOLM, Sweden (AP) - Americans John C. Mather and George F. Smoot won the 2006 Nobel Prize in physics on Tuesday for work that helped cement the big-bang theory of the universe and deepen understanding of the origin of galaxies and stars.

Mather, 60, works at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., and Smoot, 61, works at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in Berkeley, Calif.

The scientists discovered the nature of "blackbody radiation," cosmic background radiation believed to stem from the "big bang," when the universe was born.

"They have not proven the big-bang theory but they give it very strong support," said Per Carlson, chairman of the Nobel committee for physics.





"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)

"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres


"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude

Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,

and Crypto-Communist!

Go to Top of Page

Valiant Dancer
Forum Goalie

USA
4826 Posts

Posted - 10/03/2006 :  13:50:12   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Visit Valiant Dancer's Homepage Send Valiant Dancer a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by BigPapaSmurf

For this thread lets assume that the Universe is roughly spherical.

It is estimated that there are between 100-200 billion galaxies in the observable universe with roughly 50 billion stars each. The Universe is estimated to be 156-216 light years in diameter, where the observable universe is 27.4 light years in diameter.


Could you define "observable" here? Are we talking unaided eye? I'm pretty sure that 27.4 ly is wrong. We can image up to 15 billion ly and optically see some starts that are thousands of ly away.

quote:

So the volume of the observable universe is 10,770,858,256,000 cubic LY. (4/3piR^3)

At 156LYD, the actual universe is 1,987,798,768,764,000 cubic LY
-with 100B galaxies in the OU, this would translate into,
18,450,000,000,000 galaxies
922,500,000,000,000,000,000,000 stars
-with 200B galaxies in the OU, this would translate into,
36,900,000,000,000 galaxies
1,845,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 stars

At 216LYD, the actual universe is 5,276,669,285,132,000 cubic LY
-with 100B galaxies in the OU, this would translate into,
48,990,000,000,000 galaxies
2,449,500,000,000,000,000,000,000 stars
-with 200B galaxies in the OU, this would translate into,
97,980,000,000,000 galaxies
4,899,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 stars

And finally it is estimated that as much as 90% of the mass of the universe in unobservable dark matter.

Your homework?, determine the total number of quarks in the universe. (3/proton or neutron)



I believe the answer is "more freaking quarks than you can shake a stick at" or "a shitload".


Cthulhu/Asmodeus when you're tired of voting for the lesser of two evils

Brother Cutlass of Reasoned Discussion
Edited by - Valiant Dancer on 10/03/2006 13:52:36
Go to Top of Page

HalfMooner
Dingaling

Philippines
15831 Posts

Posted - 10/03/2006 :  15:37:04   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send HalfMooner a Private Message
V_D is right: If the observable universe were about 27.4 ly in diameter, we'd have no idea that we were even in a galaxy. You meant 27.4 billion ly, right?

Anyone with decent vision can see further than 27.4 ly with their unaided eyes, as in observing the vast sweep of the Milky Way.


Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive.
Edited by - HalfMooner on 10/03/2006 15:42:40
Go to Top of Page

furshur
SFN Regular

USA
1536 Posts

Posted - 10/03/2006 :  17:38:05   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send furshur a Private Message
These numbers are just to big for me to wrap my brain around. I find it interesting just to realize the staggering distances in our local area.

Using relative distances, if the mars was only 1 foot away from the earth then the the next nearest star, besides the sun, Alph Centauri, would be approximately 100 miles.

By the way Valiant Dancer is correct the answer is a shit load of quarks.


If I knew then what I know now then I would know more now than I know.
Go to Top of Page

Dr. Mabuse
Septic Fiend

Sweden
9687 Posts

Posted - 10/03/2006 :  18:35:55   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Send Dr. Mabuse an ICQ Message Send Dr. Mabuse a Private Message
The Andromeda Galaxy ~2million Ly away is a naked-eye obervable object.

Dr. Mabuse - "When the going gets tough, the tough get Duct-tape..."
Dr. Mabuse whisper.mp3

"Equivocation is not just a job, for a creationist it's a way of life..." Dr. Mabuse

Support American Troops in Iraq:
Send them unarmed civilians for target practice..
Collateralmurder.
Go to Top of Page

Dr. Mabuse
Septic Fiend

Sweden
9687 Posts

Posted - 10/03/2006 :  18:46:14   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Send Dr. Mabuse an ICQ Message Send Dr. Mabuse a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by Valiant Dancer
Could you define "observable" here? Are we talking unaided eye? I'm pretty sure that 27.4 ly is wrong. We can image up to 15 billion ly and optically see some starts that are thousands of ly away.

With instruments, the CBMR should be the farthest observable "object", as in defining the "visible" radius of the Universe.

Singular object with the naked eye... Super Nova 1987a in the Large Magellan Cloud, 170'000 Ly away.


(edited "visible" to clarify)

Dr. Mabuse - "When the going gets tough, the tough get Duct-tape..."
Dr. Mabuse whisper.mp3

"Equivocation is not just a job, for a creationist it's a way of life..." Dr. Mabuse

Support American Troops in Iraq:
Send them unarmed civilians for target practice..
Collateralmurder.
Edited by - Dr. Mabuse on 10/03/2006 18:47:44
Go to Top of Page

JohnOAS
SFN Regular

Australia
800 Posts

Posted - 10/03/2006 :  18:47:31   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Visit JohnOAS's Homepage Send JohnOAS a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by Valiant Dancer

I believe the answer is "more freaking quarks than you can shake a stick at" or "a shitload".


Would that be a metric shitload, or an imperial shitload?


John's just this guy, you know.
Go to Top of Page

Chippewa
SFN Regular

USA
1496 Posts

Posted - 10/03/2006 :  23:28:30   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Visit Chippewa's Homepage Send Chippewa a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by Dr. Mabuse

The Andromeda Galaxy ~2million Ly away is a naked-eye obervable object.


What's also cool is though we see it as a single object, 2 million light years away; the Andromeda Galaxy itself is about 220,000 light-years in diameter. So when we are looking at it, the closer spiral arms are closer in time and the more distant spiral arms are further in the past.

The galaxy can be seen with the naked eye and is also impressive in a telescope. If our eyes could collect light like camera film, Andromeda in our night sky would have an angular diameter seven times larger than the full moon.

Diversity, independence, innovation and imagination are progressive concepts ultimately alien to the conservative mind.

"TAX AND SPEND" IS GOOD! (TAX: Wealthy corporations who won't go poor even after taxes. SPEND: On public works programs, education, the environment, improvements.)
Go to Top of Page

chaloobi
SFN Regular

1620 Posts

Posted - 10/04/2006 :  09:53:21   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Send chaloobi a Yahoo! Message Send chaloobi a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by BigPapaSmurf
<snip>
And finally it is estimated that as much as 90% of the mass of the universe in unobservable dark matter.

Your homework?, determine the total number of quarks in the universe. (3/proton or neutron)

IIRC, 90% of the universe is nearly unobservable Dark Matter/Energy (recall the recent, first ever, direct observational evidence for dark matter that was found - sorry, don't have a link). Of that portion, something like 70% is in the form of Dark Energy.

-Chaloobi

Go to Top of Page

Dr. Mabuse
Septic Fiend

Sweden
9687 Posts

Posted - 10/04/2006 :  10:33:06   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Send Dr. Mabuse an ICQ Message Send Dr. Mabuse a Private Message
"The dark side of the force..."

Dr. Mabuse - "When the going gets tough, the tough get Duct-tape..."
Dr. Mabuse whisper.mp3

"Equivocation is not just a job, for a creationist it's a way of life..." Dr. Mabuse

Support American Troops in Iraq:
Send them unarmed civilians for target practice..
Collateralmurder.
Go to Top of Page

beskeptigal
SFN Die Hard

USA
3834 Posts

Posted - 10/04/2006 :  11:40:03   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send beskeptigal a Private Message
My answer is n+1.
Go to Top of Page

chaloobi
SFN Regular

1620 Posts

Posted - 10/04/2006 :  11:58:51   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Send chaloobi a Yahoo! Message Send chaloobi a Private Message
It'd be very difficult to find anything like an accurate answer. (This is a, uh, so profound an understatement that I'm certain my little brain can't even begin to understand the scale of it). But if you start, say, with the ability to count all the matter in the universe, you still have major issues with virtual particles coming into and out of existance all the time, anti-matter and matter annihilating each other from time to time, radioactive decay, fusion and fission destroying protons and neutrons, etc, (and a host of other things I don't know about or care to research). The number of quarks has to be changing all the time; generally going down I presume with increasing entropy...

-Chaloobi

Edited by - chaloobi on 10/04/2006 12:03:38
Go to Top of Page

Ricky
SFN Die Hard

USA
4907 Posts

Posted - 10/04/2006 :  13:02:11   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Send Ricky an AOL message Send Ricky a Private Message
Hah! You want to see a big number? Just look up Graham's number. Largest useful number that we know about.

Why continue? Because we must. Because we have the call. Because it is nobler to fight for rationality without winning than to give up in the face of continued defeats. Because whatever true progress humanity makes is through the rationality of the occasional individual and because any one individual we may win for the cause may do more for humanity than a hundred thousand who hug their superstitions to their breast.
- Isaac Asimov
Go to Top of Page
Page: of 2 Previous Topic Topic Next Topic  
Next Page
 New Topic  Topic Locked
 Printer Friendly Bookmark this Topic BookMark Topic
Jump To:

The mission of the Skeptic Friends Network is to promote skepticism, critical thinking, science and logic as the best methods for evaluating all claims of fact, and we invite active participation by our members to create a skeptical community with a wide variety of viewpoints and expertise.


Home | Skeptic Forums | Skeptic Summary | The Kil Report | Creation/Evolution | Rationally Speaking | Skeptillaneous | About Skepticism | Fan Mail | Claims List | Calendar & Events | Skeptic Links | Book Reviews | Gift Shop | SFN on Facebook | Staff | Contact Us

Skeptic Friends Network
© 2008 Skeptic Friends Network Go To Top Of Page
This page was generated in 0.14 seconds.
Powered by @tomic Studio
Snitz Forums 2000