Posted on 12/24/2004 6:07:04 PM PST by neverdem
Indeed. But the question was for stars. Any individual star is ver close on a cosmic scale. Heck, the Andromeda galaxy is close by cosmic standards.
Here is a chart on the stellar sequence. :-)
A few people have claimed to observe galaxy M33 (Triangulum) unaided. It's close enough to us that its angle of size in the sky is greater than that of the moon, but it's surface brightness is very low. I have never been able to find M33 with binoculars.
About 4 people say they have observed galaxy M81 unaided, which is 12 million light years distant. If this is true, the conditions would have to be extraordinary, and there are probably only a handful of people on Earth who's vision is that sharp.
M31 for your pleasure
He is MAJOR cool. UNbelievable.
All we can do is sit back and admire in awe and wonder.
His Son's birthday is all the more wonder to celebrate His coming to us...mere "us."
"I alway wondered why they call it the Milky Way."
Seriously? OK, but some more sensitive souls might want to look away.
A goddess was breast-feeding her child, pulled the child away from her breast and the milk shot out and made the stars.
Think about that next time you treat someone to a candy bar.
I first saw M31 when I was a teen. I have been watching it ever since, mostly in amazement that it is still visible even when stars dimmer than mag 4 are lost in the light pollution.
Which means you're looking at 12 million year old data. It might be obsolete. But then - what would that mean?
Norway - now there's some nice work.
I trust you had a Merry Christmas! Here's wishing you a Happy New Year! And thank you for the ping to the article.
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