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"Charlie Martin" wrote in
news:RCrEb.1487$Ur.56645@localhost: Hi, This is the first time I've visited your site so I hope this question is properly submitted. I recently watched a program about the oldest observed object. It was estimate that the nebula was 12 billion light years away, meaning we were see it as it was only 2 billion years after the beginning of the universe. My question, assuming the big bang and relativity are correct, how could an object move 12 billion light years away in the 2 billion years since the beginning of the universe? I find this quite puzzling and would appreciate a simple answer or a referral to a web site or something that could explain this. Try he http://www.astro.ucla.edu/~wright/cosmolog.htm L. |
#2
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Umm... actually the 2 billion (light) years was since the beginning of the
universe (arguably 14 billion light years ago), so it moved 12 billion light years away in 12 billion light years, not in 2 billion years. "Charlie Martin" wrote in message news:RCrEb.1487$Ur.56645@localhost... Hi, This is the first time I've visited your site so I hope this question is properly submitted. I recently watched a program about the oldest observed object. It was estimate that the nebula was 12 billion light years away, meaning we were see it as it was only 2 billion years after the beginning of the universe. My question, assuming the big bang and relativity are correct, how could an object move 12 billion light years away in the 2 billion years since the beginning of the universe? I find this quite puzzling and would appreciate a simple answer or a referral to a web site or something that could explain this. |
#3
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I see what you're saying, but I think you're missing his point. Let me try
his logic: 1. It took 12 billion years for the light from the nebula to reach us. 2. Therefore, the nebula was 12 billion light years away from us 12 billion years ago. 3. Therefore, the universe was 14-12=2 billion years old when the light left the nebula on it's way to us. 4. Therefore, the nebula was 12 billion light years away from us when the universe was 2 billion years old. So, the question remains, how did the nebula get 12 billion light years away from us when the universe was only 2 billion years old? Particularly when the speed of light is supposed to be the max speed of anything? Dark Helmet "Kilolani" wrote in message hlink.net... Umm... actually the 2 billion (light) years was since the beginning of the universe (arguably 14 billion light years ago), so it moved 12 billion light years away in 12 billion light years, not in 2 billion years. "Charlie Martin" wrote in message news:RCrEb.1487$Ur.56645@localhost... Hi, This is the first time I've visited your site so I hope this question is properly submitted. I recently watched a program about the oldest observed object. It was estimate that the nebula was 12 billion light years away, meaning we were see it as it was only 2 billion years after the beginning of the universe. My question, assuming the big bang and relativity are correct, how could an object move 12 billion light years away in the 2 billion years since the beginning of the universe? I find this quite puzzling and would appreciate a simple answer or a referral to a web site or something that could explain this. |
#4
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From what I've read, some figure that during the first few seconds of the big
bang, the H1 expanded at a speed greater than the speed of light. Only after it had slowed down and it's glow (?) started that the speed of light became the top speed. I'm not saying this is totaly true, but in about 3 or 4 articles that's what I've read. And while we may be seeing the light that left the object 12 billion years ago, the object itself has moved, we are seeing it where it WAS, not where it IS. -- "In this universe the night was falling,the shadows were lengthening towards an east that would not know another dawn. But elsewhere the stars were still young and the light of morning lingered: and along the path he once had followed, man would one day go again." Arthur C. Clarke, The City & The Stars SIAR www.starlords.org Freelance Writers Shop http://www.freelancewrittersshop.netfirms.com Telescope Buyers FAQ http://home.inreach.com/starlord Ad World http://adworld.netfirms.com "Dark Helmet" wrote in message ... I see what you're saying, but I think you're missing his point. Let me try his logic: 1. It took 12 billion years for the light from the nebula to reach us. 2. Therefore, the nebula was 12 billion light years away from us 12 billion years ago. 3. Therefore, the universe was 14-12=2 billion years old when the light left the nebula on it's way to us. 4. Therefore, the nebula was 12 billion light years away from us when the universe was 2 billion years old. So, the question remains, how did the nebula get 12 billion light years away from us when the universe was only 2 billion years old? Particularly when the speed of light is supposed to be the max speed of anything? Dark Helmet "Kilolani" wrote in message hlink.net... Umm... actually the 2 billion (light) years was since the beginning of the universe (arguably 14 billion light years ago), so it moved 12 billion light years away in 12 billion light years, not in 2 billion years. "Charlie Martin" wrote in message news:RCrEb.1487$Ur.56645@localhost... Hi, This is the first time I've visited your site so I hope this question is properly submitted. I recently watched a program about the oldest observed object. It was estimate that the nebula was 12 billion light years away, meaning we were see it as it was only 2 billion years after the beginning of the universe. My question, assuming the big bang and relativity are correct, how could an object move 12 billion light years away in the 2 billion years since the beginning of the universe? I find this quite puzzling and would appreciate a simple answer or a referral to a web site or something that could explain this. --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.551 / Virus Database: 343 - Release Date: 12/11/03 |
#5
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![]() "Starlord" wrote in message ... From what I've read, some figure that during the first few seconds of the big bang, the H1 expanded at a speed greater than the speed of light. Only after it had slowed down and it's glow (?) started that the speed of light became the top speed. I'm not saying this is totaly true, but in about 3 or 4 articles that's what I've read. And while we may be seeing the light that left the object 12 billion years ago, the object itself has moved, we are seeing it where it WAS, not where it IS. True, we are seeing it where it was. However, if the universe is expanding, then it has probably been moving away from us. Therefore, it's had 12 billion years to move further away than 12 billion light years. Dark Helmet |
#6
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Yep, and how ever far it is, that light will take that much longer to reach us,
IF it's heading away, if it's moving sideways to our view, then it would remain about the same, if it's comeing our way, they the light will be blueshifted and someday long time from now we'd see it closer. But I don't worry about it, life's to short to worry. -- "In this universe the night was falling,the shadows were lengthening towards an east that would not know another dawn. But elsewhere the stars were still young and the light of morning lingered: and along the path he once had followed, man would one day go again." Arthur C. Clarke, The City & The Stars SIAR www.starlords.org Freelance Writers Shop http://www.freelancewrittersshop.netfirms.com Telescope Buyers FAQ http://home.inreach.com/starlord Ad World http://adworld.netfirms.com "Dark Helmet" wrote in message ... "Starlord" wrote in message ... From what I've read, some figure that during the first few seconds of the big bang, the H1 expanded at a speed greater than the speed of light. Only after it had slowed down and it's glow (?) started that the speed of light became the top speed. I'm not saying this is totaly true, but in about 3 or 4 articles that's what I've read. And while we may be seeing the light that left the object 12 billion years ago, the object itself has moved, we are seeing it where it WAS, not where it IS. True, we are seeing it where it was. However, if the universe is expanding, then it has probably been moving away from us. Therefore, it's had 12 billion years to move further away than 12 billion light years. Dark Helmet --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.551 / Virus Database: 343 - Release Date: 12/11/03 |
#7
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Doesn't your hypothesis presume we both started in exactly the same spot and
only one of us moved. If you put 2 dots on a rubber band and stretch it, neither dot will actually be moving (relative to the rubber band), but they will move away from each other. "Dark Helmet" wrote in message ... So, the question remains, how did the nebula get 12 billion light years away from us when the universe was only 2 billion years old? Particularly when the speed of light is supposed to be the max speed of anything? |
#8
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In article ,
"Dark Helmet" wrote: I see what you're saying, but I think you're missing his point. Let me try his logic: 1. It took 12 billion years for the light from the nebula to reach us. 2. Therefore, the nebula was 12 billion light years away from us 12 billion years ago. 3. Therefore, the universe was 14-12=2 billion years old when the light left the nebula on it's way to us. 4. Therefore, the nebula was 12 billion light years away from us when the universe was 2 billion years old. So, the question remains, how did the nebula get 12 billion light years away from us when the universe was only 2 billion years old? Particularly when the speed of light is supposed to be the max speed of anything? Dark Helmet ..well put ..this idea has been bothering me for years and, several times, i've tried to formulate in language and have always been dissatisfied with the result ..i don't know why it's been so sifficult for me to articulate it, because seeing your words makes it seem so obvious that there is an apparent paradox ..you've come close to saying it as succinctly as possible ..so the question remains... does this apparent paradox reveal a structural flaw in the theory or an erroneous assumption on my part (or possibly some other explanation) ..thanks heron -- unDO email address ___ Nature, heron stone to be commanded, must be obeyed. http://home.comcast.net/~heronstone/ |
#9
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"heron stone" wrote in message
... In article , "Dark Helmet" wrote: I see what you're saying, but I think you're missing his point. Let me try his logic: 1. It took 12 billion years for the light from the nebula to reach us. 2. Therefore, the nebula was 12 billion light years away from us 12 billion years ago. 3. Therefore, the universe was 14-12=2 billion years old when the light left the nebula on it's way to us. 4. Therefore, the nebula was 12 billion light years away from us when the universe was 2 billion years old. So, the question remains, how did the nebula get 12 billion light years away from us when the universe was only 2 billion years old? Particularly when the speed of light is supposed to be the max speed of anything? Dark Helmet .well put .this idea has been bothering me for years and, several times, i've tried to formulate in language and have always been dissatisfied with the result .i don't know why it's been so sifficult for me to articulate it, because seeing your words makes it seem so obvious that there is an apparent paradox .you've come close to saying it as succinctly as possible .so the question remains... does this apparent paradox reveal a structural flaw in the theory or an erroneous assumption on my part (or possibly some other explanation) .thanks Due to the expansion of the universe, it takes light much longer to cover the increasing distances between places in the universe than if there were no expansion. The object spotted from when the universe was a mere 2 billion years old may have been even closer to our (then) position than 2 billion light years. Here's a crude analogy. Imagine that there is a bug crawling along the length of an elastic band. The bug always crawls with constant (local) speed with respect to the elastic band's surface. So in this analogy, the bug is like a photon of light which always travels at a constant speed of c in its local space, and the elastic band's surface represents space. Now imagine that the bug is heading from its initial spot A on the elastic band to spot B which is initially two inches away. He sets out at his constant speed, but while he's walking the elastic band is being stretched. He keeps moving at his constant speed with respect to the surface, but there's more and more distance to cover as time goes by. Let's say that by the time he finally reaches point B that, to the travelling bug, he had to cover 12 inches in getting from A to B. The "actual" distance between A and B at the time that the bug arrives at A would be much larger than 12 inches, since the elastic went on stretching the space behind the bug all the time he was travelling. |
#10
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"Greg Neill" wrote in message
news ![]() "heron stone" wrote in message .thanks Due to the expansion of the universe, it takes light much longer to cover the increasing distances between places in the universe than if there were no expansion. The object spotted from when the universe was a mere 2 billion years old may have been even closer to our (then) position than 2 billion light years. Here's a crude analogy. Imagine that there is a bug crawling along the length of an elastic band. The bug always crawls with constant (local) speed with respect to the elastic band's surface. So in this analogy, the bug is like a photon of light which always travels at a constant speed of c in its local space, and the elastic band's surface represents space. Now imagine that the bug is heading from its initial spot A on the elastic band to spot B which is initially two inches away. He sets out at his constant speed, but while he's walking the elastic band is being stretched. He keeps moving at his constant speed with respect to the surface, but there's more and more distance to cover as time goes by. Let's say that by the time he finally reaches point B that, to the travelling bug, he had to cover 12 inches in getting from A to B. The "actual" distance between A and B at the time that the bug arrives at A would be much larger than 12 inches, since the elastic went on stretching the space behind the bug all the time he was travelling. True, so let's expand this further into the neblua in question: Suppose the nebula has been travelling away from us at 1/2 the speed of light. I have no idea what the relative velocity of these two entities would be, but I would assume this is on the extreme high-end. Let's assume we have maintained this relative velocity consistently since the light reaching us now originally left the nebula. Therefore, we would have been 9 billion light years away from the nebula 12 billion years ago. The light travelled for 12 billion years before reaching us, in which time we would have travelled 3 billion light years from our original point in space (each of us would be travelling at 1/4 the speed of light to get a relative velocity to each other of 1/2 the speed of light). Net, net, (if I did the right math?) at an assumed expansion rate of 1/2 the speed of light, we would have been 9 billion light years apart 12 billion years ago. Or we were 9 billion light years apart when the universe was 2 billion years old. No matter how you slice it, we have a paradox unless the big bang created initial velocities greater than the speed of light. Other thoughts? Dark Helmet |
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