Counting the
stars in the universe is like trying to count the number of sand grains on a
beach, it’s not possible. Although estimates vary among different experts, the
general consensus is that there are at least between 100 billion and 200
billion galaxies (could be more) in our universe.
Think about
that for a moment, and now throw in billions of stars in each galaxy! (Source)
This number could very easily be in the trillions for all we know. Take the
Milky Way Galaxy for example, which measures to about 120,000 light years
across (it would take light that many years to travel across the galaxy), and
contains up to 400 billion stars. Again, that’s billions of galaxies that
contain billions of stars. (source)
In the video
below, a team of scientists gathered data on more than 8000 galaxies that
surround the one we live in, also mentioned above, the Milky Way galaxy. They
mapped each galaxies movement and position in space, and discovered that the
Milky Way galaxy is part of one giant system that contains a number of other
galaxies, referred to as a super cluster.
Anything to
do with space is mind altering to me, so for those of you who are wondering,
that’s why I put it in the title.