Our universe is estimated to be at least 156 billion light yearsin diameter—with a volume of 1.94e+015 cubic light years. To cross this distance, traveling atThe speed of light, would take 80 billion successive human generations. It’s age is estimatedat 13.5 billion years.

Artist’s conception of how the universe might appear from a point outside the universe.

A map of the universe as seen from earth

The large scale structure of the universe is as complex as its micro structures. It is made of filaments and nodes entangled in dark matter like spider eggs in a

web.

^^^^Artist’s conception of how the mega structure of the universe might appear looking across the universe.

Galactic Strings

Galactic Nodes

This mega structureis in constant motion,as filaments are drawn into nodes, and smaller galactic nodes are drawn into larger ones.

At the center of the nodes are galactic super clusters. These are so dense they consume one another, merging in to super sized galaxies.

Within the volume of the universe there isestimated to be some 240 billion galaxies.

These galaxies move continuously through space at an average rate of 1500 miles/sec.

Deep space photos taken from the Hubble Space Telescope…

The Great Attractor

Galactic Super Clusters

Our own galaxy is a large spiral shape. It has a diameter of 100,000 light years, with a volume of over 50 million cubic light years.

Within our galaxy resides an estimated 100 to 400 billion stars. Each moving through the spiral. The spiral, as whole, rotates; completing one complete turn every 250 million years. Since its birth, the galaxy has completed about 48 rotations.

At the center of our galaxy there are mysterious black holes—objects whose gravity is so dense that even light cannot escape them.

To see them, astronomerswatch for the effects of the black holes as they pull stars in, accumulating ever larger amounts of mass and gravity.

Within the galaxy are found Nebulous clouds—mostly Hydrogen gas—that are spread across millions of cubic light years of space.

On the edge of these cloudsare found the where new stars are born—literally StarNurseries.

In these gigantic nurseries, smallerPlanetary Nebulae give birth toproto-planetary clouds, at the centerof which, are newly born stars.

Like tiny rain drops withingigantic thunderheads,these stars form in countlessnumbers as the nebulous clouds roll through space.

THE LIFE CYCLE OF STARS

Of the billions of stars in the galaxy, about 3% possess habitable zones similar in conditions to those of earth.

Habitable Zones are defined as areas around a star where an orbital distance exists in which H20 can exist continuously in liquid form.

Planets too close to their star are too hot to hold liquid water (a.k.a. Venus). Planets too far are too cold (a.k.a. Mars). But some planets, such as our own, are just right for liquid water.

This has led to a theory called the Goldilocks Theory.

In a famous equation called Drake’sFormula Astronomers and Mathematicianshave attempted to estimate the probably offinding other earthlike planets within ourgalaxy. Drake’s equation goes something like this1. How many stars are in the galaxy?2. How many have a proper temperature

range?3. How many of these have planets?4. How many planets are within habitable

zone?5. How many habitable planets have life?6. How many living planets have sentient

life?7. How many planets with sentient life

have civilizations alive today?

A modest calculation puts the number of civilizations existing at any one time at lessthan a dozen.

NASA Art, Journey to Tomorrow

Our space ship Earth orbitsone such star at a distance of about 93 million miles.

Our Sun is over 865 thousandmiles in diameter with a surface area 12,000 times that of Earth’s.

It is a giant Hydrogen Fusion reactor which burns at a core temperature of 20 million degrees centigrade.

Even though our sun holds a habitable zone, the space environment of the Earth is far from tranquil.

Exploding from the sun are large plasmaclouds of fusion by-products which reachfar out into the solar system. These containelemental ions of hydrogen and non-hydrogenatoms thrown in an outward movement calledSolar Winds.

These Solar Winds and cosmic rays rain downa continuous lethal plasma on the earth like the rays of a microwave oven.

Yet, in spite of the cosmic violence which threatens our planet, the lifesupport system of our space ship Earthis able to sustain a place for life. It doesthis by:1. Maintaining an atmosphere,

hydrosphere and lithosphere stable enough to sustain and perpetuate life

2. Screening out long and short microwaves

3. Sustaining temperatures within a very narrow range

These spheres are collectively referredto as the Physiosphere. The life whichthe Physiosphere sustains is referred to as the Biosphere. The mutualrelationship that arise from theinteraction of these two spheres isreferred to as the Ecosphere.

The life of the sun is estimated to be about 10 billion years. Of this, the sun has lived about 5 billion years left.

Unfortunately, the window of life on earth will not last nearly as long. Between the time it takes for the Earth to establish life support systems, and the time the systems are evaporated by the encroachment of a swelling sun, there is a window of opportunity, approximately one billion years, where life can dwell.

Even so, we still have some 500 million years before the sun goes into such expansion.

It would appear that worries of our sun exploding into a super nova are not something we need to concern ourselves with just yet.

We have time to learn more about our sun, and our world, create options for our future.

What is of concern is the life support systems which act to shield the earth from the violence of the universe and to mechanisms which sustain life during the window of opportunity given on the planet.

Man has had a long and close relationship with nature, and the Earth Systems which sustain him. The preservation of life, and of those things that sustain it, is deeply imbedded in cultures and religious practices back to the earliest of times.

Unfortunately, our knowledge of Earth Systems has not kept pace with our growing numbers and advancing technology.

The night lights of Europe and India. Note also the light of North America on the horizon of the upper right.

Prior to mid 20th Century, our knowledge of Earth Systems has been generally local, regional or national. We have identified and addressed environmental problems “in our own back yards.” With this perspective, we developed strategies of dilute & disperse— •Burn all that you can •What you can’t burn, bury•Liquids you can’t burn, dilute•What you can’t dilute, you seal up and send to remote, unpopulated, locations

By 1969, this strategy became unworkable. We had 4 billion people. One could not throw things away because there was no away in which to throw it. Everywhere was somebody’s backyard.

So we must now attempt to address environmental problems, not just locally and nationally, but globally. In order to do this, we must learn how the life support systems of our space ship Earth work, not just on a local level, but on a global level.

We have already learned that:•The universe is a violent place•Our planet is a rare place in the universe•Our life support systems are limited

What we are trying to understand now is:•Are we overtaxing our life support systems?•How will overtaxed life support systems effect life one earth, and human beings?•Given our current industrial and population growth, what can we do to address overtaxed earth systems? Launch of Earth Observation Satellites

It has not always been this way, nor will it continue into the future indefinitely. There was a time when life support did not yet exist, and there will come a time in the future when life support systems will not be able to hold the threats at bay.

Until we can build a better environment, our space ship Earth provides the only place where life can survive and we can live.

Artist’s conceptions

of a non planetary artificial space

Habitat for Humans

Until then, we have theopportunity to make lives forourselves and to prepare for sucha time when our species will needa new habitats.

Until then, this space ship Earth is our home.