[leeoniya]

> So about a tenth of the width of the moon.

this is so much more digestible than "grain of sand at arm's length", and those two metrics dont feel at all equivalent -- the moon is not ten grains of sand at arm's length wide, right?

[sbierwagen]

The moon is pretty darn small. Half a degree wide. Imagine gluing ten grains of sand together, balancing it on a fingertip, then stretching your arm out. Around a degree wide? Depending on your grain of sand, of course.

[leeoniya]

hmmm, about the size of an asprin tablet or pea at arm's length, seems to agree with somewhat smaller than thumbnail [1]. maybe i should find and measure some sand now :).

in either case, 1/10 the width of the moon is so much easier to comprehend. when is the last time anyone tried holding a grain of sand at arms length? what a weird comparison to make when everyone on earth already has a stable/familiar reference in the sky.

[1] https://astronomy.com/magazine/stephen-omeara/2010/01/stephe...