Day 7: Space - Are we alone?

Day 7: Space – Are we alone?

I read an article the other day that stated “The Sun belongs to a galaxy called the Milky Way. Astronomers estimate there are about 100 to 400 billion stars in the Milky Way alone. Outside that, there are millions upon millions of other galaxies also.”

This made me wonder … how do they know that? How do they know there are between 100 to 400 billion stars in the Milky Way? Surely there’s no way of counting them. And how do they know there are ‘millions upon millions of other galaxies’? What led them to believe that?

And suppose it’s true. Suppose there are billons of stars in our galaxy, and there really are millions of other galaxies, what is their purpose?

When I look up and see all those stars, just a tiny fragment of what’s supposedly up there, I cannot imagine that Earth is the only place that hold life. I mean, think about it, millions of galaxies, billions of stars, and only earth is populated? If this is true, why are all those stars out there? Simply to light up the night sky and people’s enjoyment?

Perhaps there are no humans on other planets, but there could be other life forms. Life forms that don’t look like we do, with a head, a body and four limbs, but beings that are nonetheless very much alive. And when they look up at the sky, and see billions of stars around them, do they too wonder if there is other life out there?

Astronomers also state that our galaxy is 13,21 billion years old. Now how do they know that? If it’s true, that means our galaxy was created. If so, by who?

I know, more questions than answers but it’s something to think about.

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R136a1

I read an article today on the discovery of the R136a1 star in the Tarantula Nebula galaxy. The article described the enormity of the star giving its size, weight and brightness.

It made me wonder how these so called scientists come up with these figures. I mean, it’s not like they can go up there and measure the bloody thing.

I also wondered why. Why does anyone need this information? So now we know the size of this star and that it’s brighter than the sun and that it’s seen in the Tarantula Nebula galaxy, so what? Who cares?

I find it simply stunning that some people study other galaxies. What, they became bored with our own galaxy? To saw everything there is to see, or know everything there is to know?

If they were to report that they found life on another planet, here or in another galaxy, that would be of interest, that would be a breakthrough, but it’s a star for heaven sake.

Seinfeld once worked the ridiculous findings of scientists in his stand up comedy. He stated that some scientists concentrated on growing the pitless melon. “Never mind,” he said “that people are suffering and dying from illnesses nobody has a cure for. These scientists devoted their life to growing a pitless melon.”

What does this have to do with the discovery of a new star? Well, I’m sure you can put two and two together.