Size and Scaleof the

Universe

Scale for the Universe

1 light-year = 1 mm

The Milky Way

Milky Way Diameter = 100,000 light-years(on our scale)

100,000 mm = 100 m(football field)

M31 - Andromeda Galaxy

Credit: Bill Schoening, Vanessa Harvey/REU program/NOAO/AURA/NSFCopyright Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy Inc. (AURA), all rights reserved.

The Local Group

Distance to Andromeda Galaxy(on our scale)

2,500,000 mm = 2.5 km or 1.6 miles

The Virgo Cluster

Credit: NOAO/AURA/NSFCopyright Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy Inc. (AURA), all rights reserved.

How Far to the Virgo Cluster?

Distance to Virgo Cluster(on our scale)

50,000,000 mm = 50 km or 31 miles

The Coma Cluster

Credit: NOAO/AURA/NSFCopyright Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy Inc. (AURA), all rights reserved.

The Coma Berenices cluster of galaxies contains more than 1000 galaxies, with a large number of E (elliptical) and S0 (lenticular) types.

Keep going . . .

Distance to Coma Cluster(on our scale)

350,000,000 mm = 350 kmor 220 miles

Farthest Supernova ever seen(on our scale)

10,000,000,000 mm = 10,000 kmor 6000 miles

London?