The near side of a galaxy is tens of thousands of light-years closer to us than the far side; thus we see the front as it was tens of thousands of years before the back. But typical events in galactic dynamics occupy tens of millions of years, so the error in thinking of an image of a galaxy as frozen in one moment of time is small.
Carl SaganMy view is that if there is no evidence for it, then forget about it. An agnostic is somebody who doesnโt believe in something until there is evidence for it, so Iโm agnostic.
Carl SaganThe simplest thought, like the concept of the number one, has an elaborate logical underpinning.
Carl SaganFinding the occasional straw of truth awash in a great ocean of confusion and bamboozle requires intelligence, vigilance, dedication, and courage. But if we don't practice these tough habits of thought, we cannot hope to solve the truly serious problems that face us --- and we risk becoming a nation of suckers, up for grabs by the next charlatan who comes along.
Carl Sagan