300 Sextillion Stars in Universe, New Study Suggests

CBC ^ | 12/1/2010 | CBC

[Dallas59]

The night sky may be a lot starrier than we thought.

A study suggests the universe could have triple the number of stars scientists previously calculated. The new estimate is 300,000,000,000,000,000,000,000. That's 300 sextillion.

The study questions a key assumption that astronomers often use: that most galaxies have the same properties as our Milky Way. And that's creating a bit of a stink among astronomers who want a more orderly cosmos.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

You just wanted to type ‘sex’ in the title and get away with it, LOL! :)

[Red in Blue PA]

300 sextillion

[InvisibleChurch]

heh-heh-heh, you said “tillion”

[YankeeReb]

300 Sextillion. Don't say that number in front of Bam Bam. I'm afraid he'll figure out what comes after a Trillion.

[dfwgator]

It’s a great, big universe
And we’re all really puny

We’re just tiny, little specks
About the size of Mickey Rooney...

[Paleo Conservative]

[ari-freedom]

wow that’s almost as big as our national debt!

[mnehring]

This thread screams for a ping to Laz

[southernnorthcarolina]

That number is wrong. I just went out into my back yard, and counted the stars. I got 300,000,000,000,000,000,000,047.

[OCC]

Billions and billions... and lots of more billions.

[Hodar]

If Jughead can sell each star for $1, he might be able to finance everything he has scheduled for the rest of his term.

I call dibs on Sol. I’ll buy it for $1, and then charge for it’s services.

[JNRoberts]

And to those who do not believe in the Bible.......written thousands of years ago:

Exodus 32:13:

Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. You bound yourself with an oath to them, saying, ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars of heaven. And I will give them all of this land that I have promised to your descendants, and they will possess it forever.’”

Today, all 3 major religions claim Abraham as the “Father”......Jew, Christian, and Islam. An Amazing prophecy and fact we now know.

[starczar66]

“Nobody tell Barack Obama what number comes after a trillion” - Sarah Palin

[GeronL]

Choices, Choices

[Atlas Sneezed]

This thread calls for my previous tagline: “Nobody tell Barack Obama what comes after a trillion!” —SP

[oldbrowser]

What I really want to know is where does the universe end?

And what is on the other side?

[ari-freedom]

“Nobody tell Barack Obama what number comes after a trillion” - Sarah Palin

Well, that depends on whether you are British or American. :)

[Blood of Tyrants]

And I’ll sue because YOUR sun gave me sunburn;)

[Verginius Rufus]

This is from a Canadian site so that's 300 sextillion in metric.

I remember encountering the term "sextillion" before--it was a calculation of the weight of the earth. If I remember correctly the figure was something like 6 sextillion tons (but the calculation was done at least 70 years ago so I don't know if that is the currently-accepted weight).