Recent comments in /f/space

darrellbear t1_jcwbwi0 wrote

Reply to comment by ledfrisby in Moon and Mars by theillini19

Mars is about twice the diameter of the moon, ~4,000 miles vs ~2,000 miles. It appeared about 1/100th the size at the time of the occultation, meaning it was about 200 times farther away, 50 million miles vs a bit less than 1/4 million for the moon. Both objects were also at opposition that night, Dec 7/8, 2022, 180 degrees from the sun in the sky from Earth's point of view. The moon is full at opposition (the very definition of truly full), planets farther from the Sun are basically closest, biggest and brightest during opposition. The Sun, Earth, moon and Mars were all in a straight line in space that night, an event called syzygy.

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ozamataz_b t1_jcw5g0l wrote

Reply to comment by chaogomu in A Brief History of Time is ‘wrong’, Stephen Hawking told collaborator | Stephen Hawking by ZealousidealClub4119

“If you imagine a puddle waking up one morning and thinking, 'This is an interesting world I find myself in — an interesting hole I find myself in — fits me rather neatly, doesn't it? In fact it fits me staggeringly well, must have been made to have me in it!" - Douglas Adams

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