This image chills me to my core. It actually scares the heck out of me

[MKHACHFE]

Hi guys, i know everyone on this board has seen the Hubble deep field images, i've known about them since they came out. But its only recently that i properly looked them and pondered their implication. 

Its almost impossible for someone to grasp the size of the universe, but i believe that studying and understanding the deep field images are a pretty decent way to get a pretty decent idea, that on can (importantly) understand. 

When you slowly put the puzzle together, understand what a small portion of the sky this shows, understand that each one of those is a galaxy, then look at the distances that they are from each other in terms of galaxy widths, then realise that we have never even left our solar system, then realise how big our galaxy is, how many AMAZING deep space objects there are, that each of those galaxies must have a wealth of spectacular nebula, globular clusters etc...slowly add these pieces together so as not be be overwhelmed and then it will hit you, maybe just for a second, maybe more, maybe less, but one will grasp the size of the universe...before that understanding disappears. 

 

And here is what is my only point (i bet you guys didn't think i had one). When i do reach that moment of nirvana/understanding, it doesn't fill me with a sense of wonder. I do that every night looking up and looking at Hubble images. No, this makes my blood run ice cold. ICE cold. It terrifies me beyond belief to grasp for a split second how many trillions of life forms are out there, how we will almost certainly never leave our own galaxy, let alone go to another. Its a horrible realisation in my opinion and makes me very sad and very scared. The only thing i can think of that has a  scarier implication is that we are the only life out there (i don't believe that). If that were true, then life is so precious and rare that the reality would be impossible to grasp. 

No, i wont ever believe we are alone, but grasping the size of the universe (or thinking i do) isn't a nice feeling for me personally.

How do you guy feel? Anyone feel the same/do the same as me? Thanks for reading my ramblings

[JamesF]

I've always loved the image, and personally I find it quite reassuring.  Whilst some might find it a bit like going into the Total Perspective Vortex, I think it's a joy to know how we fit into the universe as a whole, even if it does mean the entire human race is no more significant than a single amoeba in all the oceans.  In some senses it gives me a great deal of hope, in that perhaps if we don't manage to avoid self-extinction then all of life's eggs may not be in one basket and there could be examples somewhere out there that manage to avoid a similar end.

There is however a sadness that we can only explore all this amazing stuff with telescopes and may only ever be able to do so.  My one absolutely compelling reason for living forever would be so that I could meet a technologically advanced extra-terrestrial species

James

[Paul M]

It's approaching 50 years since I had my first "moment" of realisation. Long before HST opened its eyes. Just looking up at the stars in awe with my primitive knowledge and utterly wild imagination. I too was frightened. I had a difficult time through childhood. A triangular peg in a circular hole; limited points of contact with my peers. Those around me didn't know what I knew.

By the time the Hubble deep field was published I'd come to terms with the emotions you mention. Or so I thought...

Truth is, you can't look into that image and not be engulfed by it. The Universe remains emotionally incomprehensible to me.

[John]

I find the image fascinating, awesome and challenging but not frightening in any way.

One thing that really is amazing is the amount of sky that the Hubble XDF (eXtreme Deep Field) image covers

 

 

 

[JamesF]

1 minute ago, John said:

One thing that really is amazing is the amount of sky that the Hubble XDF (eXtreme Deep Field) image covers

That's a nice illustration.  Especially if you mentally move the rectangle over Mare Crisium or Mare Humorum.  I reckon they're pretty close to the same size as seen from Earth, so if the Moon is in the sky it gives a nice indication of the amount of sky in the image.

James

[MKHACHFE]

8 minutes ago, John said:

I find the image fascinating, awesome and challenging but not frightening in any way.

One thing that really is amazing is the amount of sky that the Hubble XDF (eXtreme Deep Field) image covers

 

 

 

WOW...i had always known it to be about the size of a thumb held out. Maybe it is, but your image is even more clear on just how tiny a portion of the sky is shown.

 

Thanks for sharing that

[MKHACHFE]

To everyone in this thread, im not abandoning it, but i have a lot of work to do, so i wont reply anymore till tomorrow evening, but PLEASE keep sharing your thoughts.

Cheers to all those who already replied, i will respond to your comments properly tomorrow. 

 

[MKHACHFE]

34 minutes ago, JamesF said:

.... I think it's a joy to know how we fit into the universe as a whole, even if it does mean the entire human race is no more significant than a single amoeba in all the oceans. 

Before i go and i will read any reply tomorrow, im just curious as to what you mean by this. I dont consider "a single amoeba in the ocean" to be of any significance at all. Or any grain of sand in the Sahara. Yes, i understand being part of a larger system, but at least an amoeba serves a purpose in the grand life scheme of the oceans. 

We have zero effect on the universe. If amoebas did out, life would also. I cant say the same out the Sol system for our galaxy, let alone the entire universe. 

Yes, ive had a bad day...why do you ask?

 

Cheers

[Sunshine]

1 hour ago, MKHACHFE said:

then look at the distances that they are from each other in terms of galaxy widths

One note regarding this line may make it even more amazing, keep in mind that using galaxy widths to judge a rough distance between one and the other would only work if these galaxies were on a two dimensional background. In reality one galaxy may look like it is 3 times its with away from the next but, it may me a million times its width in front or behind the next from our POV, this really puts into perspective the enormity of the deep field.

Edited July 5, 2021 by Sunshine

[Gfamily]

27 minutes ago, John said:

I find the image fascinating, awesome and challenging but not frightening in any way.

One thing that really is amazing is the amount of sky that the Hubble XDF (eXtreme Deep Field) image covers

 

 

 

Consider you're a goalkeeper standing on your goal line, and the other team's goalie is holding up a 6x4 photo. That's the area of the sky that the XDF image covers. 

[Sabalias]

I find the image intriguing to be honest; the numbers and distances are eye-watering but I don’t find that I am scared by the information. I think my eureka moment for this subject came when I was studying Astronomy and Planetary Science one year back in the 90’s with the OU – the course was brilliant but it made me fell infinitesimally small 😄. As far as life in the Universe is concerned, I find that Brian Cox has said it best – there is probably life out there somewhere but it is unlikely to be complex.

Stu

[Oldfort]

9 hours ago, MKHACHFE said:

To everyone in this thread, im not abandoning it, but i have a lot of work to do, so i wont reply anymore till tomorrow evening, but PLEASE keep sharing your thoughts.

Cheers to all those who already replied, i will respond to your comments properly tomorrow. 

 

If you find the image scary, then do NOT read "Three body problem" by Cixin Liu.

[callisto]

I find the image mindboggling, but what makes my head explode is the thought that for every grain of sand on the entire planet there is 10000 stars out there and approx 500 billion Galaxies  😲 + 🤪

[Andy ES]

It’s certainly a wonderful image that I have looked and thought about many times, including the animation of it.

IMHO I believe the universe must be teeming with life, most of it however not very “intelligent” like us 😂.

what I find frightening and slightly disheartening is when I talk to people about my resurrected hobby, after a pause of about 30 years, and also in discussions during my whole lifetime, many have no interest or have never given any thought as to what is “going on out there” or “why are we here?”

I sometimes hear “well it doesn’t mean anything to me” or “so what?”

Blimey, maybe two years of Covid has trashed some of our spirits.

 

[City9Town0]

“Space is big. You just won't believe how vastly, hugely, mind-bogglingly big it is. I mean, you may think it's a long way down the road to the chemist's, but that's just peanuts to space.”

Douglas Adams

 

"There are known knowns. These are things we know that we know. There are known unknowns. That is to say, there are things that we know we don't know. But there are also unknown unknowns. There are things we don't know we don't know."

Donald Rumsfeld

 

... and quite a few quotes by Carl Sagan.

 

My feelings usually subside into a gobsmacked and relaxed state of awe and wonder; the attempts to gain knowledge in no way diminishes the beauty. It's great to be here.

[JamesF]

2 hours ago, Oldfort said:

If you find the image scary, then do NOT read "Three body problem" by Cixin Liu.

Oddly enough, exactly the same thought occurred to me

James

[JamesF]

11 hours ago, MKHACHFE said:

Before i go and i will read any reply tomorrow, im just curious as to what you mean by this. I dont consider "a single amoeba in the ocean" to be of any significance at all. Or any grain of sand in the Sahara. Yes, i understand being part of a larger system, but at least an amoeba serves a purpose in the grand life scheme of the oceans. 

We have zero effect on the universe. If amoebas did out, life would also. I cant say the same out the Sol system for our galaxy, let alone the entire universe.

I think perhaps you've over-extended my metaphor

I'm just quite relaxed, comforted even, about knowing that we are a very tiny thing that's part of an inconceivably big thing.  I might be more concerned if we weren't aware that anything existed beyond the solar system.  Life would indeed feel very fragile then.  And perhaps it is a little extreme to suggest that we have zero effect on the universe.  We've been sending radio signals into the universe for one hundred years and the first man made object has left our solar system.  It will be followed by others.  One day, somewhere, "someone" might discover that.  And what effect might that have, even if we are long gone?

James

[Roy Challen]

7 hours ago, callisto said:

I find the image mindboggling, but what makes my head explode is the thought that for every grain of sand on the entire planet there is 10000 stars out there and approx 500 billion Galaxies  😲 + 🤪

Here, try this for size!

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graham's_number

At least the number of stars and galaxies is a normal number, that can be written down on a piece of paper 😉

[callisto]

3 minutes ago, Roy Challen said:

Here, try this for size!

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graham's_number

At least the number of stars and galaxies is a normal number, that can be written down on a piece of paper 😉

 

[Cloudberry]

Some space images do feel somewhat unsettling, but this particular one actually comforts me, makes me feel like I know where I am. It's like looking around after waking up, gives you a sense of where you are and what you are.

Also feels like an exploration opportunity and makes me want to read sci-fi books. 😄

[Roy Challen]

To me, the HDF and its like suggest that our physical position in the universe is fairly normal. Certainly nothing unsettling.

Imagine we were at the centre of the Bootes supervoid, everything else in the universe would be so faint we wouldn't have discovered anything until the middle of the last century. We would be wondering why everything is so far from us. But, that would then be our 'normal' anyway.

[John]

My favourite summary of it all

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buqtdpuZxvk

 

[Mctoot]

I don’t find this image unsettling. The concept that it’s not just an image of galaxies but a view through deep time is just wow factor 10 for me. I feel mesmerised and humbled by it. 🤪

[NiCo10]

Its a stunning image and I've always thought that something like this should be taught in school, the humbleness of what we are and how unimportant and insignificant some things are in the scale of the cosmos. I guess to try and give some perspective and think of the bigger picture of what is going on in the world.

[tomato]

And how about that all of this immensity has only existed for a finite amount of time (only 13.8 billion years), and, even more mind blowing, we know this…

I find this Apollo 11 image very humbling, with the comment that all of humanity, less one, was in front of the camera.