Thoughts & Refletions

[Gregory Matthews]

Something to think about:

*  The Sun in our solar system has a diameter of about 1.4 million kilometers across.

*  It is simply a star in the Milky Way Galaxy which may consist of hundreds of billions of stars.

*  Our planet Earth exists in a solar system of billions of kilometers across.

*  Our planet Earth is separated from other planets in our solar system by tens and hundreds of millions of kilometers.

*  Our Milky Way Galaxy contains hundreds of billions of stars and who knows how many planets circle those stars.

*  Within a range of 14 billion light years from the Earth, there are probably some 100 billion galaxies.

*  As we are limited in what we can see to some 14 billion light years, no one knows what lies beyond that boundary.

*  What is the ultimate purpose for which our Universe came into existence?  For that question science does not have an answer and we must look to philosophy and religion.

 

NOTE:  In the above, the words are mine.  But, in writing them I am indebted to the work of Dr. Alex Filippenko.

[Gregory Matthews]

 

For those of you who might be interested in learning more about the Cosmos, see:

1)                  https://www.astrosociety.org/

2)                  http://hubblesite.org/

Photos from the Hubble Space Telescope.

3)                  https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/

4)                  http://sten.astronomycafe.net/the-astronomy-cafe/

A new photo every day.

5)                  https://www.space.com/

Current information about astronomy.

 

[B/W Photodude]

3 hours ago, Gregory Matthews said:

*  Within a range of 14 billion light years from the Earth, there are probably some 100 billion galaxies.

Actually the number of galaxies is now climbing into an estimated trillions. This is just one very small section of the sky photographed by Hubble and most of the "stars" there are galaxies.

[B/W Photodude]

28 minutes ago, The Wanderer said:

So what do they call all that space in between all of these "stars?" Are they not "galaxies?" Hmnnn, methinks there is a profound mixup with certain lines of science, so called.

A space craft recently left our solar system as noted by the readings indicating the edge of the heliosphere. The craft is now into intersteller space. The space between galaxies would be called intergalactic space and it is becoming apparent that it is not exactly empty.

https://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/560/does-anything-exist-in-the-intergalactic-space

[B/W Photodude]

See if this doesn't make you feel small!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iy7NzjCmUf0

 

[Gregory Matthews]

Thank you for that website.  It was very interesting.

It clearly sets boundaries on our knowledge and establishes limits on what we can observe.

One is that it brings up   is that the theory of an inflating universe tells us that the universe is expanding at a velocity greater than the velocity of light.  Contrary to what some might think, this does NOT violate the dictum that an object with mass can never exceed the velocity of light.

In actual fact, as understood today, while the universe is expanding at a velocity greater than the velocity of light, the galaxies, solar systems and planets are not distancing themselves at a velocity greater than that of light.

Think about that for a while.

 

[phkrause]

I'm thinking and guess what? My head hurts! ?

That was awesome guys, thanks for the websites!! ?