"How Far the Stars Are" is the next astrophysics composition by TRUNKS ART!

Boise, Idaho - December 28, 2019 - "How Far the Stars Are" (#2/12) - On a clear night, our naked eye can see Sirius, the brightest star at almost 9 light years away, and Deneb, the furthest star at 1,500 light years, and even Andromeda, our closest galaxy neighbor at a whopping 2.5 million light years.  And, with telescopes like the Hubble, distances are calculated into the billions of light years!

So, just how do they know how far the stars are?  Stellar Parallax (Friedrich Bessel, 1838) is a method that uses plain old trigonometry but is limited to only 400 light years.  Standard Candles (Henrietta Leavitt, 1908) extends that distance to the far reaches of the universe using Cephied Variables (super bright twinkling stars).  But you know what's more mind blowing than these inconceivable distances?  The stars we do see are no longer there and are mere glimpses into the cosmic past.  

Yep.  Mind blown. 

Trunks Art moved to Boise from Los Angeles in 2015 and has made this city his home and art inspiration.

To see more of my work, please have a look at more posts or email me at chucktrunks@gmail.com. Or, visit my website at www.trunksart.com.