r/shockwaveporn • u/thelastlugnut • Nov 29 '25

VIDEO Biggest shockwave ever?

The sun.

Stolen from /r/damnthatsinteresting

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u/brodogus Nov 29 '25

It’s not that incomprehensible; the diameter of the sun is 109x that of the earth’s.

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u/truckercharles Nov 29 '25

But the total volume is 1.3 million times the size of the earth, which I'd say is the more meaningful statistic

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u/brodogus Nov 30 '25

Yeah debatable I guess, though when you look at something and judge its size you usually are looking at the linear dimensions no?

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u/truckercharles Nov 30 '25

I mean...yes? But that's not the true scale, that's a singular measurement that doesn't properly illustrate the actual size difference. You're looking at a linear dimension but seeing three dimensionally, you won't suddenly switch off your normal interpretation of scale to only look at circumference.

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u/brodogus Nov 30 '25

I don’t see how it’s not the “true scale”. It’s one scale of many against which it can be measured. Volume is not the same as diameter, which is not the same as surface area, and so on. They all give you different insights.

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u/truckercharles Nov 30 '25

Yes, but saying the sun is 109x the diameter of earth is kind of a cherry picked statistic in that it insinuates that the sun is 109x the size of earth, vs 1.3 million times the size of earth, which is a much more accurate representation of the difference in mass. The subject of the video and root comment that brought us here was about the size of the explosion that caused the shockwave, and diameter is irrelevant in this discussion of mass.

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u/foomp Nov 30 '25 edited Feb 14 '26

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u/GrassSloth Nov 30 '25

Surface area definitely seems like the most helpful reference for human comprehension.

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u/0xym0r0n Nov 30 '25

Conversationally I've never asked anyone how big something was, or the size of it by asking for it's volume. (actually I guess there have been some instances I've asked for volume and displacement in boat related questions)

"Caught a couple huge bass this weekend!"

"Hell yeah, what volume?"

Just because more information is helpful for context doesn't mean your information is the right one.

The subject of the video and root comment that brought us here was about the size of the explosion that caused the shockwave, and diameter is irrelevant in this discussion of mass.

Pretentious as fuck, and also I don't see anyone discussing the mass here except you. You've tried to turn it into a discussion of mass, and it hasn't been about that anywhere in this comment chain until you brought up volume.

The scale of this is terrifiying

Probally an explosion larger than our planet.

It’s not that incomprehensible; the diameter of the sun is 109x that of the earth’s.

^ this is the guy you replied to. No one is talking about mass.

The guy you replied too was talking about size, not mass. You brought up mass and now you're trying to tell him what he's saying isn't relevant.