comparing the size of deep sky objects

[reddoss]

I came across this and just wondered how accurate it is? I thought the crab nebula would have been smaller.

The actual sizes of various different deep space objects. If they were brighter, this is how they would appear in our night sky. The images are in scale with one another, including the Moon, but not to the Milky Way background.

1. The Moon.
2. Andromeda Galaxy.
3. Triangulum Galaxy.
4. Orion Nebula.
5. Lagoon Nebula.
6. Pinwheel Galaxy.
7. Sculptor Galaxy.
8. Supernova remnant 1006.
9. Veil Nebula.
10. Helix Nebula.
11. Sombrero Galaxy.
12. Crab Nebula.
13. Comet Hale-Bopp (c. 1997)
14. Venus.
15. Jupiter.
16. International Space Station

Edited February 17, 2014 by reddoss

[tingting44]

very cool pic~! wish we could see them like that lol 

you got the link to the site mate>?

[ronin]

If size why is the moon at the top?
It is smaller in angular measurement then M31, M33 or M42.

[sologuitarist61]

Not impressed I have to say as there is no indication of scale, does the image represent the entire northern sky visible at one time, or 10% (or 20% or 30% for that matter)

Also don't understand the statement 'If they were brighter, this is how they would appear in our night sky'!! Really? Well there you go!!

[Bizibilder]

As Reddoss says they are in scale to each other, not the background.  From those that I have imaged myself they seem about right, for example M32 is about "6 Moons x 2 Moons" - although the exact limit can depend on where exactly you define the "edges" of some of the nebulae.

It has always amazed me just how big some of these objects actually appear to us, let alone their "real" size.

[joehay_yorkshire]

Not impressed I have to say as there is no indication of scale, does the image represent the entire northern sky visible at one time, or 10% (or 20% or 30% for that matter)

Also don't understand the statement 'If they were brighter, this is how they would appear in our night sky'!! Really? Well there you go!!

I guess the best scale being the full moon there

[Mattscar]

The facebook page I saw it on (IFLS I think) said everything was in scale with the exception of the Milky Way in the background. 

[reddoss]

very cool pic~! wish we could see them like that lol 

you got the link to the site mate>?

As Mattscar says it's from a facebook page about science which has a swear word in it, so it would not be appropriate to post it here, though I am sure you can find it. 

Edited February 17, 2014 by reddoss

[joehay_yorkshire]

it's " I (guess the word ) love science"

[Mr Q]

   Facebook? As far as I'm concerned, its the largest internet rubbish dump in the world. Taking anything from this group and thinking its true/accurate makes as much sense as learning something from a rock. This (post, not the poster) is just an example of what's happening in this group - the blind leading the blind

   And don't bother to respond to this reply - I'll be busy for some time taking some lessons from a rock in my back yard (garden)

[Ant]

Facebook? As far as I'm concerned, its the largest internet rubbish dump in the world. Taking anything from this group and thinking its true/accurate makes as much sense as learning something from a rock. This (post, not the poster) is just an example of what's happening in this group - the blind leading the blind

   And don't bother to respond to this reply - I'll be busy for some time taking some lessons from a rock in my back yard (garden)

They probably feel the same about you.

Just because you don't like Facebook doesn't mean that your right. There are some really good science and astronomy pages on Facebook. I belong to a couple myself.

There is a saying here in the UK that goes something along the lines of "if you cannot say something nice, don't say anything"

[rory]

I'd say the scale is roughly about right , in relation to each other and excluding background as stated.

Why o why do they need to call a astro page by that title ? I don't use face book any longer , haven't bothered for years.

Edited February 17, 2014 by rory

[Mattscar]

It isnt a specific astro page. She posts all kinds of interesting science tidbits and the latest news.

[rory]

I see . Still a terrible title though.

Anyway got to go I'm about to watch

" wonders of the flipping universe "

;-/

[RikM]

She does have a mirror page with a more child friendly title https://www.facebook.com/ScienceIsSeriouslyAwesome I find some of the posts very interesting and it is nice to see 'Social Media' trying to spread knowledge. There may be a lot of dross posted on FB but they are your friends.

[cantab]

Taking anything from this group and thinking its true/accurate makes as much sense as learning something from a rock.

Opportunity and Curiosity are learning plenty of things from rocks

How interesting you'll find Facebook largely depends on how much your friends share your interests, and on the groups you're in somewhat.

[DRT]

I'm not sure why this thread descended into the pointlessly bashing other social media sites but as a novice observer I find that picture really interesting.

When I look up at the sky I see the moon and some bright and not so bright dots. I look for the Orion nebula and imagine that it is contained within the middle "star" of the sword. It isn't. I look for Andromeda and imagine that it is the same size (in terms of my FOV) as a star. It isn't, by a very long way.

I now know that both of those DSO's take up more of the sky that I can see than the moon does. That is interesting, at least to me, and will influence my choice of EP and FOV to view them with.

Thank you to reddoss for posting the picture. Every day is a school day on SGL

[starman1969]

Funny how, despite being in the original image, neither of the Magellanic Clouds are listed. Nor 47 Tucanae for that measure.

[starman1969]

Funny how, despite being in the original image, neither of the Magellanic Clouds are listed. Nor 47 Tucanae for that measure.

Of course they are as they are, just not listed.

[Mattscar]

Ever since these kind of pages have started appearing on social media, alot more of my friends have started paying attention to the kind of content they post and started talking to me about it, so as far as Im concerned they are a great way of quickly disseminating information out to people. 

Didn't know she did a child friendly one aswell as Iv been asked by some people to find a good science but not overly complicated one to follow

[clarkpm4242]

Hale-Bopp got upto 40 degrees long.  Moon is about 1/2 degree...

[cantab]

Of course they are as they are, just not listed.

The backdrop isn't to the same scale though. Which is a bit of a shame, but then I suppose the image wouldn't be as visually striking if it was.

[Russe]

Cool idea!!

[AstroBillStewart]

It’s cool but that’s not the right size. The largest object would be m31. The width would just fit in between two of the 3 stars in Orion’s Belt if visible with the naked eye that’s it.  Or for another perspective the Orion Nebula (in the sword  including running man and the star cluster is about as wide but m42 would be wider top to bottom than m31 just not as long. 😂

[AstroBillStewart]

This photo of andromeda wasn’t yet stretched but I was just working on it. 😂 it spans out further than captured here but not much further. 

Edited January 14, 2022 by AstroBillStewart