THE NUMBER OF STARS IN THE UNIVERSE
About 5,000 stars can be seen with the naked eye, although not all of these stars are visible at any given time or from any given place. With a small telescope, hundreds of thousands of stars can be seen. The largest telescopes disclose millions of galaxies, which may each contain over 200 billion stars. Modern astronomers believe there are more than 1 x 10 22 stars in the universe (this number is very large, a 1 followed by 22 zeros)
Microsoft® Encarta® Encyclopedia 2002. © 1993-2001 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
GALILEO WAS THE FIRST TO USE A TELESCOPE TO LOOK INTO THE HEAVENS AND THE NUMBER OF STARS (AROUND THE YEAR 1609)
FROM GALILEO GALILEI’S ASTRONOMICAL MESSENGER (1610)
“The number of the Fixed Stars which observers have been able to see without artificial powers of sight up to this day can be counted. It is therefore decidedly a great feat to add to their number, and to set distinctly before the eyes other stars in myriads, which have never been seen before, and which surpass the old, previously known, stars in number more than ten times.”
Microsoft® Encarta® Encyclopedia 2002. © 1993-2001 Microsoft Corporation.
TO HAVE MORE FAITH IN G-D AND HIS TORAH 7
NOW LOOK WHAT OUR SAGES IN THE TALMUD SAY ABOUT THE NUMBER OF STARS
TALMUD BERACHOT 32B
“[The Congregation of Israel complained to G-d for having forsaken her], The Holy One Blessed is He answered to her: “My daughter, 12 constellations [Mazalot] I created in the firmament, and in every constellation I created for it 30 Chayil and for every Chayil I created for it 30 Ligyon and for every Ligyon I created for it 30 Rachton and for every Rachton I created for it 30 Karton and for every Karton I created for it 30 Gastra and for every Gastra I suspended in it 3,650,000,000 stars corresponding to the days of the Solar year, And all of them I created only for your sake Yet you say “You have forsaken me and abandoned me?”
Lets’ calculate:
Number of stars= 12 x 30 x 30 x 30 x 30 x 30 x 3,650,000,000
= 1,064,340,000,000,000,000
= 1 x 1018
Modern astronomers believe there are more than 1 x 10 22 stars in the universe
FROM WHERE DID THE RABBIS GET THIS INFORMATION ON THE NUMBER OF STARS WHEN IT WASN’T UNTIL 1609 THAT IT WAS DISCOVERED WITH THE AID OF THE TELESCOPE THAT THERE WERE MORE STARS IN THE UNIVERSE THAN WHAT THE NAKED EYE COULD SEE?
“The synodic month, or complete cycle of phases of the Moon as seen from Earth, averages 29.530588 mean solar days in length (i.e., 29 days 12 hours 44 minutes 3 seconds)
Encyclopedia Brittanica Electronic Edition
“The lunar, or synodic, month is the time required for the moon to pass from a particular phase, such as the full moon, back to the same phase; it averages 29.53059 days.
Microsoft® Encarta® Encyclopedia 2002. © 1993-2001 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
THIS IS WHAT IS WRITTEN IN THE TALMUD ROSH HA SHANA 25a
The Rabbis taught: One time the skies became overcast and the likeness of the [new] moon was visible on the 29th day of the month, the people thought to say that it was the beginning of the new month and even the Rabbinical court sought to sanctify the month. Rabban Gamliel said to them: “Thus have I received a tradition from the house of my father’s father: “The renewal of the moon is never before 29 days and a half day and 2/3 of an hour and 73 parts…”
TO HAVE MORE FAITH IN G-D AND HIS TORAH 5
LET’S CALCULATE THE TIME GIVEN BY RABBAN GAMLIEL
TO EXPLAIN
The hour was divided by our Rabbis into 1080 parts so that it could be divided by most numbers [2,3,4,5,6]. Now let’s calculate:
29 ½ DAYS AND 2/3 OF 1 HOUR AND 73 PARTS
2/3 of an hour= 2/3*1080= 720 + 73 = 793 PARTS
29 1/2 DAYS AND 793/1080 PARTS
TO CONVERT THIS INTO DAYS:
793/1080=0.7343
0.7343/ 24 hours = 0.0305958
Then 29 days + ½ day = 29.5 days
29.5 + 0.0305958 = 29.5305958 days
TO CONVERT INTO DAYS HOURS AND SECONDS:
0.7343*60 minutes= 44 minutes with .058 parts
.058 parts * 60 seconds = 3.48 seconds
29 days 12 hours 44 minutes 3.48 seconds
RESULT OF THE TALMUD IN DAYS: 29.5305958 DAYS
ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITTANICA’S: 29.530588 DAYS
THE TALMUD IN MINS: 29 ½ DAYS, 44 MIN, 3.48 SEC
BRITTANICA’S: 29 ½ DAYS, 44MIN, 3.5 SEC
COMPARED TO PRESENT DAY CALCULATION, THE TIMES ARE ONLY 0.0000022 OF A DAY APART
Topic: The number of Stars in the universe and lunar cycle. (Read 3348 times)