2004

The Universe's Biggest Diamond Found Eight Light years From Earth

Mar. 2004

Forget about intelligent life, the last frontier may be the universe’s most unexpected diamond rough supplier.
Space scientists at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics have found the biggest known diamond in the universe--a 10 billion-trillion-trillion carat gem

About 8 light years away from Earth, astrophysicists found the massive rock—appropriately, on Valentines Day. It is actually a piece of crystallized carbon at the center of a dwarf star.

To put the discovery in perspective, consider this: Earth’s largest diamond is the Star of Africa, the gem of the British crown jewels. It is 530 carats. Add about 34 zeros to that number, and that is the weight of this space diamond.