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Relative location of the supercluster



 
 
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  #1  
Old August 20th 03, 02:34 PM
Pok
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Default Relative location of the supercluster

I'm not an astronomer, and have little more than high school learning and an
inqusitive mind... Just warning you of a potential ignorance hazard ahead.


To my knowledge, the current popular theory is that the universe is
expanding from the big bang. This is where I probably make my first mistkae,
but the rest is still relevant, even if I make a few assumptions.

If the universe is expanding from a central point, I view it as a sphere.
Now, if all the galaxies and clusters of galaxies and superclusters are
heading away from this point, can our position relative to this point be
mapped?

I have to dumb it down for my own benefit. I imagine the universe as a
sphere, similar to a globe. Any spot on this globe can be identified with a
latitude and longitude, and if we add another axis, so height from the
center of the globe, we can identify any spot within the sphere. Do we know
where we lie in relation to surrounding objects, or to the center?

Or have a got a twisted concept? Any information, links, and such would be
appreciated.

  #2  
Old August 26th 03, 01:43 AM
Odysseus
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Default

Pok wrote:

To my knowledge, the current popular theory is that the universe is
expanding from the big bang. This is where I probably make my first mistkae,
but the rest is still relevant, even if I make a few assumptions.

If the universe is expanding from a central point, I view it as a sphere.
Now, if all the galaxies and clusters of galaxies and superclusters are
heading away from this point, can our position relative to this point be
mapped?

I have to dumb it down for my own benefit. I imagine the universe as a
sphere, similar to a globe. Any spot on this globe can be identified with a
latitude and longitude, and if we add another axis, so height from the
center of the globe, we can identify any spot within the sphere. Do we know
where we lie in relation to surrounding objects, or to the center?

Or have a got a twisted concept? Any information, links, and such would be
appreciated.


With respect to the 'big bang' theory the problem with your analogy
is that space itself is expanding; it's not the case that objects in
the universe are moving outward from an identifiable centre. It's
believed that wherever you might be in the universe, distant objects
in every direction will appear to recede as if you were at the centre
-- but no one location is 'privileged' to be the origin for all the
rest. A pretty twisted concept, I admit.

See

http://www.physics.adelaide.edu.au/~dkoks/Faq/Relativity/GR/centre.html;

also article I10 at

http://sciastro.astronomy.net/sci.astro.9.FAQ, and Ned Wright's
article on the subject at

http://www.astro.ucla.edu/~wright/nocenter.html.

For some nicely presented views of our surroundings at various
scales, from the nearest few stars right up to galactic
superclusters, see

http://www.anzwers.org/free/universe/index.html.

--
Odysseus
  #3  
Old August 26th 03, 03:58 AM
Bill Duncan
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Default

In article , Odysseus
wrote:



For some nicely presented views of our surroundings at various
scales, from the nearest few stars right up to galactic
superclusters, see

http://www.anzwers.org/free/universe/index.html.

Thanks for the URL.Bill.

  #4  
Old August 26th 03, 04:48 AM
Nitedrifter
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Default

With respect to the 'big bang' theory the problem with your analogy
is that space itself is expanding; it's not the case that objects in
the universe are moving outward from an identifiable centre. It's
believed that wherever you might be in the universe, distant objects
in every direction will appear to recede as if you were at the centre
-- but no one location is 'privileged' to be the origin for all the
rest. A pretty twisted concept, I admit.

See

http://www.physics.adelaide.edu.au/~dkoks/Faq/Relativity/GR/centre.html;



Interesting point of view, the universe as we know it could very well be a
part of a larger universe unbeknownst to any of us... and why wouldn't life
of some form be possible too in distant galaxies that are out of our scope
of sight, with beings just like us pondering about the expanding universe.
For some reason, when I think of expanding universe, I envision fog....

Since the craze about Mars, I read an article in the July (i think) issue of
astronomy magazine that talked about the goldilock planets saying how venus
is too hot for life, mars is too cold, and earth is just right. With our
sun in the center and earth orbiting it, being just the right distance away
and a whole slew of other factors...it got me thinking, why couldn't there
be other galaxies with a planet similar to earth in relation to that
galaxy's sun and similar conditions to make it habitable for life?! Just
because we can't see that far, doesn't mean it couldn't exist. It makes me
think about how truly tiny we as individual humans are in the vast ocean of
the universe...

I was peeping at mars with my binoculars earlier tonight and it blows my
mind that I'm looking at another planet (one that look more like a planet
and not a speck of brightness)...one that is just out there (in space)...so
far away (even though it is closer than ever to us!) and it looks so tiny,
even at 16x, it is smaller than a pea. I can pick it out of the sky and eat
it, it is so small...yet, in reality, mars is probably a million times
bigger than me, squash me like a bug if it fell on top of me.

Imagine being a martian and looking out into the sky and seeing earth as a
tiny pea size yummy treat...and a big craze on their planet because it's
been thousands of years since they've been this close to earth! ...and
what's up with those people on earth constantly throwing out those
satellites??!

And what about the possible life beyond our limited view of the
universe.....maybe there are giants out there with much more knowledge and
awareness just peering over at us saying to each other, "ya know, those
earthlings don't even have a clue to the scope of the universe...". It's
like us watching ants crawl around... do you think ants are intelligent
enough to grasp their place in the universe... do you think ants even
"think"?

ooh, I think it's just bedtime for me...

Jean


 




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