How big are we?
 

It will probably pay the bills rather well, Jon. Analysis of any ilk is great fun. I used to do IT analysis for a credit card firm. There's nothing quite as much fun professionally as being the guy that found the answer to something. Astronomy is a decent hobby. You can gawk as much as you can learn. Looking up at the starry sky always gives me that feeling of the numinous. I got that word from Contact, by Carl Sagan. I recommend that book without reservation to anyone, and knowing the personality of this place, that goes double here. Good ol' Carl. He was a real character, and really made one appreciate the cosmos. Billions and billions of times over.

we are small, we may just control earth, but as for intergalactic rule, i doubt it, there will be others out there for sure, but we will go out there, because of mans incontrollable neeed to know anywhere and neeed to go everywhere.

more ontopic: i sometimes stop up in my walking or biking or what ever just to stand and look at the stars, because it is a marvelous sight

Definitely go to a Star Party! They're literally epic! During the winter I take my telescope out to a monthly Star Party by my local observatory, and even tiny as these are they're still great. I went to a national Star Party near Dublin last year and I must say it was one of the best events I've even been to in my life. :D

When Im older, or at least get the funding, Im heading off to the Fort Davis Star Party in Texas. :)

dude, i allways wanted to do something like that, or just look up in the sky with a telecope :P

i really love those kind of video! <3 stars!

Here's another two films for you guys that I discovered recently.

Every square (or circle) you see as it zooms out is 10 times larger than the previous circle/square. (Hence why the videos are called powers of 10.) It starts out at 1m² then 10m² then 100m² etc. etc.

I would suggest watching the second video first, it has some cracking music to go with it and I think the effect is a lot more impressive.

This is the original film...







And here is a much shorter version which has the same effect.

Buying a telescope was probably one of the smartest decisions I ever made, though it put me back around $700.

A lot of people are usually disappointed when they look through a telescope for reasons that I'll only expose if Im asked to. :P

Love videos like this! Its so hard to grasp though how huge the universe is, it just goes on endlessly and I cant fathome that we are alone. Also, as someone else said I can imagine how easy it would be to get lost in space. Once could spend an entire lifetime attempting to explore the depths of this universe.

And Fort Davis eh? Ill have to try going there being in Texas myself, bit of a drive but sounds awesome!

This is last year's Star Party in Fort Davis, Texas.

Prepare to be in awe.

Wow, that is a great video. The night sky is so amazing. Too bad I can't enjoy it, damn light pollution.

Wow!!

I feel.......
Small...