Lucy in the sky with diamonds

I thought this was rather cool.
 
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/3492919.stm?ref=nf
 
From the article, "The cosmic diamond is a chunk of crystallised carbon, 4,000 km across, some 50 light-years from the Earth in the constellation Centaurus.  It's the compressed heart of an old star that was once bright like our Sun but has since faded and shrunk.
Astronomers have decided to call the star "Lucy" after the Beatles song, Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds."
 
After all this time, it turns out that the song was supposed to be interpreted literally. 
 
 

If you don't like the math ... just scroll down to the results of the calculations at the bottom.
 
 
From the 4000 km diameter and the equation for the volume of a sphere, (4/3)(pi)r^3, I calculate the following for the volume of the chunk of diamond:

(4/3)  x  3.14  x  (4000km/2)^3  =  3.3 e 10 km^3

From Wikipedia I get the density of diamond, 3.5 g/cm^3

Getting the volume of the chunk of diamond into cubic centimeters and then using the density to determine the mass in grams I get:

3.3 e 10 km^3  x  (1000 m / 1 km)^3  x  (100 cm / 1 m)^3  =  3.3 e 25 cm^3

3.3 e 25 cm^3  x  (3.5 g/cm^3)  =  1.2 e 26 g (mass of chunk of diamond in grams)

1 carat is equal to 0.2 g:

1.2 e 26 g  x  (1 carat / 0.2 g)  =  5.8 e 26 carats

So “Lucy in the Sky” is 5.8 e 26 carats or

580,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 carats

I was unable to find current values for uncut diamonds so just for the sake of argument, let’s say diamond goes for $5000 US per carat.  That would mean, Lucy would be worth approximately

$2,900,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000

quantumeffect


If you don't like the math ... just scroll down to the results of the calculations at the bottom.
 
 
From the 4000 km diameter and the equation for the volume of a sphere, (4/3)(pi)r^3, I calculate the following for the volume of the chunk of diamond:

(4/3)  x  3.14  x  (4000km/2)^3  =  3.3 e 10 km^3

From Wikipedia I get the density of diamond, 3.5 g/cm^3

Getting the volume of the chunk of diamond into cubic centimeters and then using the density to determine the mass in grams I get:

3.3 e 10 km^3  x  (1000 m / 1 km)^3  x  (100 cm / 1 m)^3  =  3.3 e 25 cm^3

3.3 e 25 cm^3  x  (3.5 g/cm^3)  =  1.2 e 26 g (mass of chunk of diamond in grams)

1 carat is equal to 0.2 g:

1.2 e 26 g  x  (1 carat / 0.2 g)  =  5.8 e 26 carats

So “Lucy in the Sky” is 5.8 e 26 carats or

580,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 carats

I was unable to find current values for uncut diamonds so just for the sake of argument, let’s say diamond goes for $5000 US per carat.  That would mean, Lucy would be worth approximately

$2,900,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000

of course that doesn't take into consideration that when you saturate the market with 5.8e26 carats then the value of all diamonds will plummet.  CZ might be worth MORE than diamonds at that point!

Zirconium (sp?) works for me!  But then I'm probably not like many other women either.  lol 

That's assuming earth is the only market for diamonds ...

On Grzylyrg diamonds have a queer purpose. They are fuel for rats. Cheapest foodstuff around.


Now rats on Grzylyrg are priceless. They are what keep order in the streets, are Bing's favorite snack and in general amuse the local children to no end when they p**p the diamonds out in the shapes of pinwheels and whoopie cushions. Yes, the children of Grzylyrg are simple minded.

CZ on the other hand is used to make combs on Grzyyrg.