Endless space. How many universes are there? Is there a limit to space? What is the Universe
The universe is everything existing world. The Universe includes the Earth, the Sun, the Moon, the planets of the solar system, the stars and all the space between them. There are countless galaxies in the Universe, consisting of stars and planets.
What science studies the Universe?
Astronomy studies the Universe, location, movement, origin of celestial bodies and everything related to space. And scientists who study all this are called astronomers. They study the Sun and stars. The moon, planets of the solar system, meteorites, comets and many other celestial bodies.
How is space different from the Universe?
Celestial bodies form part of the Universe, and the space between their atmospheres is space
The entire space of the Universe outside the atmospheres (gas shells) of celestial bodies is called space. For example, our planet and its inhabitants are part of the Universe. And to get into space, a person needs to overcome earth’s gravity and fly beyond the border of our air shell, that is, soar to a height of 100 kilometers.
How did the Universe come into being?
According to official data of modern astronomical science, the Universe was formed approximately 14 billion years ago. Of the many theories explaining its origin, the most popular is the Big Bang theory. Other scientists believe that the Universe is infinite and has always existed. However, we can only guess how the Universe came into being.
1) Approximately 15 billion years ago, the Big Bang occurred. 2) A few seconds after the Big Bang, gas and dust particles were formed. 3) After 400 thousand years, gas and dust particles united into peculiar clouds. 4) After 300 million years, stars and galaxies began to emerge. 5) After 9 billion years it arose solar system, and with it the Earth.
More than 14 billion years ago, all the matter in the Universe was compressed into one tiny point. Due to the excess of energy contained in it, the point became incredibly hot and, in the end, exploded. The explosion was of such unimaginable power that after it billions of kilometers of gas and dust were formed, from which after some time galaxies, stars and various celestial bodies began to form. And before the explosion there was no time, no space - nothing at all.
How many galaxies and planetary systems are there in the Universe?
Modern astronomers, who have studied only a small part of the Universe, have managed to detect 1 million 600 thousand galaxies. And in each of these galaxies there are from several hundred thousand to tens of trillions of stars. Various celestial bodies, including planets, can revolve around all these celestial bodies. Planetary systems look different; it often happens that only one planet orbits a star. However, there are also a great many systems similar to the Solar one.
Position: 05h 40m, –02°, 27", distance from Earth: 1,600 light years; device/year: WFC3/IR, 2012.
M83, or the Southern Pinwheel Galaxy, is a barred spiral galaxy in the constellation Hydra
Position: 13h 37m, –29°, 51", distance from Earth: 15,000,000 light years, device/year: WFC3/UVIS, 2009–2012.
Position: 18h 18m, –13°, 49", distance from Earth: 6,500 light years, instrument/year: WFC3/IR, 2014.
The book is called Expanding Universe and is dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the launch of Hubble. The Hubble photographs published in this book are not just breathtaking images, they are also an opportunity to learn more about space exploration. The book includes an essay by a photography critic, an interview with a specialist who explains exactly how these images are created, and two stories by astronauts about the role this unique telescope plays in space exploration.
RS Puppis is a variable star in the constellation Puppis
Position: 08h 13m, –34°, 34", distance from Earth: 6,500 light years, instrument/year: ACS/WFC, 2010.
M82, or the Cigar Galaxy, is a spiral galaxy in the constellation Ursa Major
Position: 09h 55m, +69° 40", distance from Earth: 12,000,000 light years, instrument/year: ACS/WFC, 2006.
M16, or the Eagle Nebula, is a young open star cluster in the constellation Serpens.
Position: 18h 18m, –13°, 49", distance from Earth: 6,500 light years, instrument/year: WFC3/UVIS, 2014.
Due to the fact that the telescope is in space, it can detect radiation in infrared range, which is completely impossible to do from the surface of the Earth. Therefore, Hubble's resolution is 7-10 times greater than that of a similar telescope located on the surface of our planet. For example, among other things, scientists for the first time obtained maps of the surface of Pluto, learned additional data about planets outside the solar system, they managed to make significant progress in the study of such mysterious black holes in the centers of galaxies, and also, which seems completely incredible, they were able to formulate the modern cosmological model and find out a more accurate age of the Universe (13.7 billion years).
Jupiter and its moon Ganymede
Sharpless 2-106, or the Snow Angel Nebula in the constellation Cygnus
Position: 20h 27m, +37°, 22", distance from Earth: 2,000 light years, device/year: Subaru, Telescope, 1999; WFC3/UVIS, WFC3/IR, 2011.
M16, or the Eagle Nebula, is a young open star cluster in the constellation Serpens.
Position: 18h 18m, –13°, 49", distance from Earth: 6,500 light years, instrument/year: ACS/WFC, 2004.
HCG 92, or Stephen's Quintet, is a group of five galaxies in the constellation Pegasus
Position: 22h 35m, +33°, 57", distance from Earth: 290,000,000 light years, device/year: WFC3/UVIS, 2009.
) originally among the ancient Greeks (starting with Pythagoras in the 6th century BC) ≈ the Universe as a harmonious organized system, as opposed to chaos, a disorderly accumulation of matter. From the Greeks the term "K." passed into modern science as a synonym Universe Space includes interplanetary, interstellar, and intergalactic space with all objects located in it. From the concept "K." (outer space) sometimes exclude the Earth with its atmosphere. In this sense, the term "K." (the term “near satellite” is also used) became widespread after the launch (1957) in the USSR of the first artificial space object, an artificial Earth satellite, and the beginning of the study of the near-Earth and interplanetary environment using various kinds spacecraft.
Big Soviet encyclopedia. - M.: Soviet Encyclopedia. 1969-1978 .
See what “Cosmos (Universe)” is in other dictionaries:
SPACE (Greek kosmos), synonymous with the astronomical definition of the Universe; often distinguished as so-called near space, explored with the help of artificial Earth satellites, spacecraft and interplanetary stations, and deep space, the world of stars and galaxies... Encyclopedic Dictionary
- (Greek kosmos). Peace, universe. Dictionary of foreign words included in the Russian language. Chudinov A.N., 1910. SPACE, universe, world. Dictionary of foreign words included in the Russian language. Pavlenkov F., 1907 ... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language
The large-scale structure of the Universe as it appears in infrared rays with a wavelength of 2.2 microns 1,600,000 galaxies, registered ... Wikipedia
space- a, only units, m. Astronomical definition of the Universe. Flight into space. Space exploration. Synonyms: macroco/smos (special), universe/nie (book) Related words: cosmodro/m, cosmona/w… Popular dictionary of the Russian language
Noun, m., used. compare often Morphology: (no) what? space, what? space, (I see) what? space, what? space, about what? about space Space is the space with stars and planets that is located outside the Earth's atmosphere. Space exploration. | ... Dictionary Dmitrieva
- (from the Greek kosmos order, structure, peace) term in other Greek. philosophy to designate the world as an orderly, organized and unified whole, arising from the original chaos. For the first time, ideas about chaos and chaos are found in ancient myths and more ... Philosophical Encyclopedia
The Marvel Universe is a fictional, shared universe where most of the comic book stories published by Marvel Comics take place. The Marvel Universe actually exists in a multiverse, made up of thousands of separate universes that are all... ... Wikipedia
The Marvel Universe is a fictional, shared universe where most of the comic book stories published by Marvel Comics take place. The Marvel Universe actually exists in a multiverse, made up of thousands of separate universes that are all created... ... Wikipedia
Cosmos: A Personal Voyage Genre Documentary Series Author(s) Carl Sagan, Anne Druyan, Stephen Sauter Narrator K ... Wikipedia
Cm … Dictionary of synonyms
Books
- Space. Earth. Human. Dialogues, Ikeda Daisaku. Book - dialogues between cosmonaut pilot, Hero Soviet Union A. A. Serebrov and the Japanese philosopher Daisaku Ikeda. Dialogues are devoted to various topics: preparation and training...
- Space, the Universe, the theory of everything almost without formulas, or How we got to the theory of superstrings (subseries "Physics") / 2nd ed. , Pokrovsky V.V.. When and how did the concept of “natural science” appear in its modern interpretation? Do material bodies influence time? Is it possible to create a black hole artificially? What happened in the beginning...
Those who have a little idea about the Universe are well aware that the cosmos is constantly in motion. The universe is expanding every second, becoming larger and larger. Another thing is that on the scale of human perception of the world, it is quite difficult to understand the size of what is happening and imagine the structure of the Universe. In addition to our galaxy, in which the Sun is located and we are located, there are dozens, hundreds of other galaxies. Exact quantity no one knows about distant worlds. How many galaxies are in the Universe can only be known approximately by creating a mathematical model of the cosmos.
Therefore, given the size of the Universe, we can easily assume that tens, hundreds of billions of light years from Earth, there are worlds similar to ours.
Space and worlds that surround us
Our galaxy, which received the beautiful name “Milky Way,” was, according to many scientists, the center of the universe just a few centuries ago. In fact, it turned out that this is only part of the Universe, and there are other galaxies various types and sizes, large and small, some further, others closer.
In space, all objects are closely interconnected, move in a certain order and occupy an allotted place. The planets we know, the stars we know well, black holes, and our solar system itself are located in the Milky Way galaxy. The name is not accidental. Even ancient astronomers, observing the night sky, compared the space around us to a milk track, where thousands of stars look like drops of milk. The Milky Way Galaxy, the celestial galactic objects in our field of vision, make up the nearby cosmos. What may be beyond the visibility of telescopes became known only in the 20th century.
Subsequent discoveries, which expanded our cosmos to the size of the Metagalaxy, led scientists to the theory of the Big Bang. A grandiose cataclysm occurred almost 15 billion years ago and served as an impetus for the beginning of the processes of formation of the Universe. One stage of the substance was replaced by another. From dense clouds of hydrogen and helium, the first beginnings of the Universe began to form - protogalaxies consisting of stars. All this happened in the distant past. The light of many celestial bodies, which we can observe in the strongest telescopes, is only a farewell greeting. Millions of stars, if not billions, dotted our sky, located a billion light years from Earth, and have long ceased to exist.
Map of the Universe: nearest and farthest neighbors
Our Solar System and other cosmic bodies observed from Earth are relatively young structural formations and our closest neighbors in vast universe. For a long time Scientists believed that the closest to the Milky Way was the dwarf galaxy Large Magellanic Cloud, located only 50 kiloparsecs. Only very recently have the real neighbors of our galaxy become known. In the constellation Sagittarius and in the constellation Canis Major small dwarf galaxies are located, the mass of which is 200-300 times less than the mass of the Milky Way, and the distance to them is just over 30-40 thousand light years.
These are one of the smallest universal objects. In such galaxies the number of stars is relatively small (on the order of several billion). As a rule, dwarf galaxies gradually merge or are absorbed by larger formations. The speed of the expanding Universe, which is 20-25 km/s, will unwittingly lead neighboring galaxies to a collision. When this will happen and how it will turn out, we can only guess. The collision of galaxies is happening all this time, and due to the transience of our existence, it is not possible to observe what is happening.
Andromeda, two to three times the size of our galaxy, is one of the closest galaxies to us. It continues to be one of the most popular among astronomers and astrophysicists and is located just 2.52 million light years from Earth. Like our galaxy, Andromeda is a member of the Local Group of galaxies. The size of this giant cosmic stadium is three million light years across, and the number of galaxies present in it is about 500. However, even such a giant as Andromeda looks short in comparison with the galaxy IC 1101.
This largest spiral galaxy in the Universe is located more than a hundred million light years away and has a diameter of more than 6 million light years. Despite containing 100 trillion stars, the galaxy is primarily composed of dark matter.
Astrophysical parameters and types of galaxies
The first space explorations carried out at the beginning of the 20th century provided plenty of food for thought. The cosmic nebulae discovered through the lens of the telescope, which over time were counted more than a thousand, were the most interesting objects in the Universe. Long time these bright spots in the night sky were considered to be gas accumulations that were part of the structure of our galaxy. Edwin Hubble in 1924 was able to measure the distance to a cluster of stars and nebulae and made a sensational discovery: these nebulae are nothing more than distant spiral galaxies, independently wandering across the scale of the Universe.
An American astronomer was the first to suggest that our Universe is made up of many galaxies. Space exploration in the last quarter of the 20th century, observations made using spacecraft and technology, including the famous Hubble telescope, confirmed these assumptions. Space is limitless and our Milky Way is far from the largest galaxy in the Universe and, moreover, is not its center.
Only with the advent of powerful technical means observations, the Universe began to take on clear outlines. Scientists are faced with the fact that even such huge formations as galaxies can differ in their structure and structure, shape and size.
Through the efforts of Edwin Hubble, the world received a systematic classification of galaxies, dividing them into three types:
- spiral;
- elliptical;
- incorrect.
Elliptical and spiral galaxies are the most common types. These include our Milky Way galaxy, as well as our neighboring Andromeda galaxy and many other galaxies in the Universe.
Elliptical galaxies have the shape of an ellipse and are elongated in one direction. These objects lack sleeves and often change their shape. These objects also differ from each other in size. Unlike spiral galaxies, these cosmic monsters do not have a clearly defined center. There is no core in such structures.
According to the classification, such galaxies are designated by the Latin letter E. All currently known elliptical galaxies are divided into subgroups E0-E7. Distribution into subgroups is carried out depending on the configuration: from galaxies to almost round shape(E0, E1 and E2) to highly stretched objects with indices E6 and E7. Among the elliptical galaxies there are dwarfs and true giants with diameters of millions of light years.
There are two subtypes of spiral galaxies:
- galaxies presented in the form of a crossed spiral;
- normal spirals.
The first subtype stands out the following features. In shape, such galaxies resemble a regular spiral, but in the center of such a spiral galaxy there is a bridge (bar), giving rise to arms. Such bridges in a galaxy are usually a consequence of physical centrifugal processes that divide the galactic core into two parts. There are galaxies with two nuclei, the tandem of which makes up the central disk. When the nuclei meet, the bridge disappears and the galaxy becomes normal, with one center. There is also a bridge in our Milky Way galaxy, in one of the arms of which our Solar system is located. From the Sun to the center of the galaxy, the path, according to modern estimates, is 27 thousand light years. The thickness of the Orion Cygnus arm, in which our Sun and our planet reside, is 700 thousand light years.
In accordance with the classification, spiral galaxies are designated by the Latin letters Sb. Depending on the subgroup, there are other designations for spiral galaxies: Dba, Sba and Sbc. The difference between the subgroups is determined by the length of the bar, its shape and the configuration of the sleeves.
Spiral galaxies may have various sizes, ranging from 20,000 light years and up to 100 thousand light years in diameter. Our Milky Way galaxy is in the “golden mean”, its size gravitating toward medium-sized galaxies.
The rarest type is irregular galaxies. These universal objects are large clusters of stars and nebulae that do not have a clear shape or structure. In accordance with the classification, they received the indices Im and IO. As a rule, structures of the first type do not have a disk or it is weakly expressed. Often such galaxies can be seen to have similar arms. Galaxies with IO indices are a chaotic collection of stars, clouds of gas and dark matter. Prominent representatives of this group of galaxies are the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds.
All galaxies: regular and irregular, elliptical and spiral, consist of trillions of stars. The space between stars and their planetary systems is filled with dark matter or clouds of cosmic gas and dust particles. In the spaces between these voids there are black holes, large and small, which disturb the idyll of cosmic tranquility.
Based on the existing classification and research results, we can answer with some confidence the question of how many galaxies there are in the Universe and what type they are. There are more spiral galaxies in the Universe. They constitute more than 55% of the total number of all universal objects. There are half as many elliptical galaxies - only 22% of total number. There are only 5% of irregular galaxies similar to the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds in the Universe. Some galaxies are adjacent to us and are in the field of view of the most powerful telescopes. Others are in the farthest space, where dark matter predominates and the blackness of endless space is more visible in the lens.
Galaxies up close
All galaxies belong to certain groups that are modern science are usually called clusters. The Milky Way is part of one of these clusters, which contains up to 40 more or less known galaxies. The cluster itself is part of a supercluster, a larger group of galaxies. Earth, together with the Sun and Milky Way part of the Virgo supercluster. This is our actual cosmic address. Together with our galaxy, there are more than two thousand other galaxies in the Virgo cluster, elliptical, spiral and irregular.
The map of the Universe, which astronomers rely on today, gives an idea of what the Universe looks like, what its shape and structure are. All clusters gather around voids or bubbles of dark matter. It is possible to think that dark matter and bubbles are also filled with some objects. Perhaps this is antimatter, which, contrary to the laws of physics, forms similar structures in a different coordinate system.
Current and future state of galaxies
Scientists believe that it is impossible to create a general portrait of the Universe. We have visual and mathematical data about the cosmos that is within our understanding. The real scale of the Universe is impossible to imagine. What we see through a telescope is starlight that has been coming to us for billions of years. Perhaps the real picture today is completely different. As a result of cosmic cataclysms, the most beautiful galaxies in the Universe could already turn into empty and ugly clouds of cosmic dust and dark matter.
It cannot be ruled out that in the distant future, our galaxy will collide with a larger neighbor in the Universe or swallow a dwarf galaxy existing next door. What will be the consequences of such universal changes remains to be seen. Despite the fact that the convergence of galaxies occurs at the speed of light, earthlings are unlikely to witness a universal catastrophe. Mathematicians have calculated that just over three billion Earth years are left before the fatal collision. Whether life will exist on our planet at that time is a question.
Other forces can also interfere with the existence of stars, clusters and galaxies. Black holes, which are still known to man, are capable of swallowing a star. Where is the guarantee that such monsters of enormous size, hiding in dark matter and in the voids of space, will not be able to swallow the galaxy entirely?
> Interesting facts about the Universe
10 most interesting facts about the Universe and space: initial temperature, diameter, shape features, the mystery of dark matter and dark energy, where to look for the center.
Do you think you are familiar with Universe and her secrets? We offer you top 10 interesting facts which may surprise you.
- Was hotter when I was younger
Among scientists, most agree with the Big Bang theory. Confirmation was received when cosmic microwave background radiation was discovered. Of course, we can't see the moment with our own eyes, but extrapolation proves that the Universe was infinitely hot at the beginning and began to cool as it expanded.
Researchers believe that in the first minutes of expansion the temperature reached a billion Kelvin. But in the first second there are 10 billion Kelvins. So that you understand, today these indicators are 2.725 Kelvin.
With old age comes cold
Tracking the most distant galaxies confirms that the expansion of the Universe is accelerating. If we add information about constant cooling, we get the final result in the form of a Big Freeze.
This means that the space will be deprived of useful heat (energy) and all movement will stop. This is also supported by the readings of WMAP (studies cosmic microwave background radiation).
The diameter of the Universe is 150 billion light years
Of course, such a figure can be confusing, since it differs greatly from age. But everything is explained by the acceleration of expansion.
Age – 13.7 billion years
If you don’t believe it, then know that these calculations are reliable with an accuracy of 1%. Thanks to WMAP, which studies the cosmic microwave background radiation. Older methods also confirm similar number along with measuring the ages of stars in the oldest clusters.
The Earth is round, but the Universe is not
Based on Einstein's general theory of relativity, we can talk about three possible forms of the Universe: open, closed and flat. And here WMAP comes into play again, confirming the latter option. If we combine the form with the concept of dark energy, we get the most possible prediction of the end of everything - the Big Freeze.
Large scale structures
If you zoom in as far as possible, you will notice that the Universe is represented by threads, voids, superclusters, groups and clusters. The latter unite into superclusters, and they can form walls that are part of the filaments. Places without anything are called voids. CMBR measurements confirm that the space is full in some parts and empty in others.
A huge part remains invisible to us
Using wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum (radio waves, visible light, infrared and x-rays) it was possible to view distant places. We still lack the power to look deeper. But we can believe there's something else out there based on temperature distributions, gravitational lensing, orbital velocities, and galactic rotation rates. This also confirmed the presence of dark matter. And dark energy is responsible for accelerating the distance of galaxies.
The universe has no center
No. Of course, the Earth is not located at the center of everything. Moreover, we don't even occupy the center of the galaxy. And yes, the Milky Way is not in the central part either. There is no point in looking for this place, since the Universe is devoid of a center.
Objects are in a hurry to move away from each other
Galaxies do not stop moving away. Until the latest discoveries, it was believed that one day everything could end with a Big Rip (everything, even atoms, would be destroyed). This theory was based on the accelerated pace of expansion. Scientists thought it would last forever and cause everything to break apart.
To understand everything, you need to study elements smaller than an atom
Researchers wanted to find out where it all began, so they began to peer into the past, finding smaller and smaller structures. They understood that they would encounter a young and hot Universe, with high density, small size and with an incredibly large energy reserve.
It turns out that we are back to research again elementary particles, which contribute to the study of the emergence of everything.
Now you know 10 interesting facts about the Universe. But this is just the beginning! The Universe is an endless space filled with amazing mysterious celestial bodies such as black holes, pulsars and neutron stars. Sometimes there are stars and planets that can shock you with their behavior or appearance. In addition, scientists do not lose hope of finding life beyond the Earth. Therefore, follow the interesting links on the site and explore the vastness of the Universe with us.
