Dinosaurs seem so strange but not so strange that we don't, in some fashion, consider them relative to us. Sure they're big lizards with scaly skin and huge teeth that inhabited Earth tens of millions of years before us.
But because we shared the Earth with them, they're our big lizards with scaly skin and huge teeth.
So even though Dinosaurs have inhabited space all through the galaxy, we can't justify calling them aliens.
Image: Quinn Shipton
Let us explain...
Our solar system is not standing idly in the Milky Way with the handbrake on, rather it is spinning and revolving around the giant black hole in the centre much like everything else.
This rotation takes a little while.
About 250 million years.
NASA's - and Australia's - Jessie Christiansen has just tweeted a very informative timeline animation showing us where the dinosaurs were in our galaxy.
It also shows us the events after the extinction event and where the rise of mammals took place as we begin to inherit the Earth.
Check it out.
I have always been interested in galactic archaeology, but I don't think this is what they meant.
— Dr. Jessie Christiansen (@aussiastronomer) August 28, 2019
Did you know that dinosaurs lived on the other side of the Galaxy? pic.twitter.com/ngGCAu0fYU
The last time we were at this current position in the Milky Way (250 million years ago), less "developed" dinosaurs with three-toed feet were inhabiting Earth during the Triassic period.
This period is known as the dawn of the dinosaurs when the typical dinosaurs we see today begun to emerge.
But why create the graphic in the first place?
Dr Jessie Christiansen said that whilst leading a stargazing party at CalTech she remarked that our Solar System had been across the galaxy when dinosaurs roamed.
Much to the mixed confusion and curiosity of attendees.
If you want to go deeper again, our entire galaxy is also moving through space and is moving ever closer to the adjacent Andromeda galaxy.
So although it looks like Earth has moved back into position after 250 million years, in fact, we as a galaxy have moved very much out of place.
A truly memorable animation from a world-class Aussie helping us understand the amazing goings-on in the deep unknown!
#Space_Aus
For more info on or amazing galaxy:
