Stargazing Prof. Brian Cox - perspective

[Airspeed]

We've just had the first of this year's three-night session of Stargazing, hosted by the abovementioned.
Apart from getting a young lady to drive a few kms along a section of beach, placing scale models of our Solar System's Sun and planets at scale distances, he went on to say that if you were in a (don't look Ben) 737, it would take 67 years to fly across the diameter of our Sun. If that wasn't enough, Betelgeuse in Orion, is larger, and IIRC would take 100 years in a 737 to get from the centre of B to the outside.

EDIT: SEE CORRECTION BELOW.

[Nigel H-J]

he went on to say that if you were in a (don't look Ben) 737, it would take 67 years to fly across the diameter of our Sun.

That is unbelievable!! I knew that the sun was big but..........not that big!!

Regards
Nigel.

[Vancouver]

I think he is wildly mistaken. the diameter of the Sun is 864,938 miles, and the circumference is 2,713,406 miles.

[simondix]

I think he is wildly mistaken. the diameter of the Sun is 864,938 miles, and the circumference is 2,713,406 miles.

Depends which airline you use

[blanston12]

I think he is wildly mistaken. the diameter of the Sun is 864,938 miles, and the circumference is 2,713,406 miles.

Yeah at 450 knots it would take 1922 hours or about 80 days

Around the equator is 6029 hours or 251 days.

Actually less I divided miles by knots but you get the idea.

[Airspeed]

Sorry, it was me who was mistaken.
I've just re-watched the programme on "I-View", and it was 65 days in a 747.
However, I did quote the 100 years for travelling the radius of Betelgeuse correctly.
What I omitted was a reference to UY Scuti, which you can read about here: http://earthsky.org/space/how-big-is-th ... nster-star

[Tomliner]

So I guess booking a weekend sightseeing trip there is out of the question then. EricT
ps in a few hours time we'll be boarding one of Ben's favourites to fly back to Edinburgh from Croatia.

[Paul K]

ps in a few hours time we'll be boarding one of Ben's favourites to fly back to Edinburgh from Croatia.

If it's Ryanair, that really will seem like 67 years.

[FlyTexas]

Have a great/safe trip home, Eric.

Brian

[Tomliner]

Thank you Brian. Yes good flight and on time.
Paul, not Ryanair but Jet2 and if anyone is interested it was a 733 G-GDFO. I thought Ben would like to know!
Mike, sorry for hijacking your original thread. EricT