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Date:  2459345.18
2020-2021: CXXVII
                     "Angels can fly because they take themselves lightly."
                                         -G.K. Chesterton



THE DAILY ASTRONOMER
Tuesday, May 11, 2021
Amazing Astronomy Facts - Miscellaneous

We conclude our list of amazing astronomy facts with a hodge-podge of,
well, amazing astronomy facts.    Thanks to JB of Cape Neddick for
requesting this list.   We hope you all enjoy it!


*LOOKING AT THE MOON*
The moon is 1.2 light seconds away from Earth.  When looking at the moon,
realize that the light photons entering your eye were actually touching the
lunar surface less than a second and a half earlier.

*POPULATION RATE*
According to recent estimates, 5,000 - 20,000 stars are born every second
in the Universe.   We know that star birth can be a rather arduous process
requiring 5 - 10 million years between the initial cloud collapse and the
ignition of core thermonuclear fusion reactions.    The Milky Way Galaxy,
for instance, produces 1 - 3 new stars a year, on average.  However, our
galaxy is just one of billions of galaxies.  Although some of these
galaxies produce far fewer stars, others are even more prodigious.    So,
the cosmos adds thousands of stars to its already impressive stellar
population every single second!

*NOT MUCH OF THE SUN*
Outer space is a frigid void. However, our planet is warmed by the Sun's
campfire.  In fact, some regions sizzle under Sol's flames.   However,
because our planet is more than 90 million miles from the Sun, it receives
only one one-billionth of the Sun's energy. To put that fraction in
context, if the Sun apportioned out time instead of energy, it would give
us one second of its time once every 32 years!

*ANCIENT STAR LIGHT*
Speaking of the Sun....the energy it is generating in its core right now
requires approximately 300,000 years to migrate from the core to the
photosphere, the outer layer we often mistakenly refer to as "the
surface."    Next time you venture out on a sunny day, realize that the
solar energy you're seeing/feeling was created just before our species
evolved.


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