Day 314
My late-in-the-day Stream of Consciousness post is brought to you by the lovely Linda G. Hill. Up for discussion today is:
Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “astronomical.” Use it any way you like. Have fun!
Credit: ESO/B. Tafreshi (twanight.org)
When I saw the prompt my mind immediately went to an IMAX movie we saw at the Tampa Science Center titled “Hidden Universe”. The film centers around the European Southern Observatory (ESO) in Chile.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=gq59GeX-GGQ
ESO has the most technologically advanced telescopes. I chuckled when I saw how they named them. For such technology, the names Very Large Telescope (VLT), new Technology Telescope (NTT), and Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) seemed so low key for such power. Say what you mean must have been their motto.
Back to the film. I remember feeling so small, so insignificant when I watched it. For we humans who tend to be so full of ourselves, we are nothing in comparison to the astronomical number of stars, suns, moons, planets, solar systems, galaxies, back holes, etc.
The universe would not miss a beat if we went up in a puff of smoke. We should take a step back and think about that sometimes.
I cannot imagine the vastness one would experience when looking through such telescopes. I felt small…very small.
The number of requests for time slots to use these telescopes are astronomical in comparison to the amount of time available.
We would do well to curb our egos and take a cue from the ever changing universe.
Credit: ESO,ESA/Hubble, NASA. Digitized Sky Survey. Acknowledgement: Davide de Martin
Credit: ESO/VVV Acknowledgment: Cambridge Astronomical Survey Unit
Another journey I would recommend when you have an additional 29 minutes to spare is this one:
https://vimeo.com/planetarycollective/overview
Join the astronomical number of bloggers that participate in Linda’s weekly challenge. To get all the rules and read what others have to say, fly over to Linda’s blog.
Aren’t telescopes awesome?
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They are so amazing!
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This sure does put our individual lives in a different perspective. We are designed to survive and also to quest for something beyond ourselves. We are part of something much bigger, and all connected. So many thoughts your post triggers in me. It’s as if we are on the verge of understanding so much more.
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This is a thought I pondered as a young child. I hope we are at the verge of some sort of understanding…
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When I was young, I used to go to the London Planetarium. The seats lean back, and you are immersed in a circular display that is simply fascinating. It is still there, but undoubtedly ‘modernised’ now. 🙂
https://www.rmg.co.uk/see-do/planetarium-shows?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIu-r6nfXo4wIVh7PtCh0lyQvZEAAYASAAEgKeCPD_BwE
Best wishes, Pete.
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Planetariums are amazing, Pete. I have been to several in my life, but none had the impact this film had on me. I never felt smaller in my life.
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I wonder what they might name a new telescope if it’s bigger than the others?
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Supersized, like fast food!
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