Log Space
This is probably going to test the graphical limits of this blog to breaking point, but I thought it would be fun to put here nevertheless. This picture is a map showing the cosmos on a logarithmic scale, all the way out from the Earth’s centre to the edge of the observed Universe with the cosmological bit at the top (naturally).
I wouldn’t mind a pound for every time this has found itself on someone’s office wall over the years!
It was made about five years ago by a group of astronomers at Princeton and if you follow the link you can find more explanation of how it was put together, as well as various versions of the plot in different formats and resolutions, so please follow it if you can’t see the picture very well here.
In the Dark 
January 13, 2010 at 11:45 pm
It’s still an amazing plot, but forgive me for preferring a slightly less scientific (but more charming) version : http://xkcd.com/482/
January 13, 2010 at 11:49 pm
Check out:
http://xkcd.com/482/
January 14, 2010 at 12:23 am
Hm, that wasn’t mean to be so terse. Anyway, I meant to add: I imagine the xkcd comic was heavily inspired by the original. Both are pretty impressive, and I didn’t know about the one you posted here on your blog Peter. Thanks for pointing it out!
January 15, 2010 at 3:48 pm
There’s another xkcd comic going the other way, down below the human scale. Not quite a well-populated, but with some amusing moments:
http://xkcd.com/485/