우리가 속한 은하계 갤럭시에 30여 개의 별자리군이 있다. 그중 하나인 오리온 별자리군 팔꿈치 한 끝자락에 우리 태양계가 미세 먼지처럼 붙어있다. 우주과학자들은 은하계 같은 갤럭시 숫자가 2조 정도라고 하지만 실제로는 아무도 정확한 수를 알 수 없기 때문에 그냥 무한대라고 생각하는 것이 맞을 것이다.

   우리 태양(별)에서 가장 가깝다는 또 다른 별이 바로 프록시마 센토리다. 이 별은 은하계 남쪽에 자리잡은 켄타우로스 별자리군에 위치한다. 하늘에는 무수한 별들이 사방 옆으로 다닥다닥 붙어 있는 듯 보이지만 우리 태양계에서 프록시마 센토리까지는 4.3 광년의 거리다. 우리의 우주 탐험선이 거기에 도착하려면 지구시간 개념으로 70,000년이 걸린다.

   1977년에 발사된 탐험선 보이저 1&2호의 시속이 61,500 km 정도다. 그 후 43년이 지난 지금 탐험선 보이저 선들은 얼마 전 난쟁이 위성 명왕성을 지난 후 우리의 태양계를 벗어나 다음 단계로 향하고 있는 중이다. 오리온 별자리군 팔꿈치 끝자락 미세먼지에서 다음 미세먼지로 향하고 있는것이다.

   이것을 볼 때 우리는 우주가 크다는 것은 알지만 사실 얼마나 큰지는 상상력으로 가늠이 불가능하다. 그래서 나는 내 머리 위로 이어진 우주 아니 그 속에서 살아 숨쉬고 있는 나 자신을 볼 때 ‘나는 우주다’로 단정한다.

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Our solar system is located in a cavity in Orion Arm like a micro dust. Orion is one of the 30 constellations in our galaxy, the Milkyway.

The countless stars we see in the sky look so clustered next to one another. But Proxima Centauri, the closest star to our Sun star is 4.3 light years away from us, posing in the constellation of Southern Centaurus in our galaxy. It will take 70,000 years to get there by a space probe in earth year.

The Nasa launched Voyager 1 & 2 in 1977 and they manoeuvre in 61,500 km/h. After 43 years of the launch, they are now in interstellar space after passing Pluto our last dwarf planet a few years ago. They’ve just shifted from a micro dust to the next one.

The scientists estimate that there are around 2 trillion galaxies on the Universe/ Cosmos but no one really can define it is fact. It might as well be ‘infinite’ no beginnings and endings.

We know, in general, how big the universe is but it is impossible to comprehend the actual size of it. It simply is out of all our senses.

Nevertheless, one thing is certain that the universe starts up above my head, no not that I am indeed part of the universe and breathing right now. Therefore, I dare to proclaim that I am the universe.