3 ms·
The idea of something with ten solar masses moving so fast still terrifies me. It's just mind-boggling to think about something at that scale completing an orbi
by ooterness 3y ago
The idea of something with ten solar masses moving so fast still terrifies me. It's just mind-boggling to think about something at that scale completing an orbit in the blink of an eye.
I am reminded of Randall Monroe taking about the sheer energy of a supernova:
> Which of the following would be brighter, in terms of the amount of energy delivered to your retina:
> A supernova, seen from as far away as the Sun is from the Earth, or
> The detonation of a hydrogen bomb pressed against your eyeball?
> Applying the physicist rule of thumb suggests that the supernova is brighter. And indeed, it is ... by nine orders of magnitude.
https://what-if.xkcd.com/73/ https://what-if.xkcd.com/73/