First off since we have no way to calculate the size of the universe. Neither using Red Shift or Gravitational Lens calculations, X-Ray, Radio, or Infrared telescopes; nothing in the arsenal of NASA, Russia, ESA, or China can detect any hint of an end to the know universe.
To even begin to calculate size we have to assume there is a limited number of galaxies in the universe. Think of it as filling a invisible jar with balls to get a ideal of the volume of space the jar envelopes. With all the technology in at our disposal scientist estimated 125,000,000,000 (that's 125 BILLION) galaxies in -1999-. Later on shuttle missions added a better cameras to the Hubble Space telescope and astronomers were able to see a estimated 3000 galaxies in the visible range of the new camera. That 3000 is more than likely a well rounded up number that is probably well under 2501. Anyways, if they can see 3000 galaxies that's only a mere fraction of 1% of their own estimate.
Now we have to figure the size of the average galaxy. If your still with me we have to put a average size on all these balls filling our invisible jar. NASA scientist estimate that is around 100,000 light years across. According the the Ask an Astrophysicist website. This math is already beyond my simple mind since I really suck at all things math.
So what we have estimated so far is that the universe may contain 125 billion galaxies that are on average 100,000 light years across and 3000 light years thick. But then we still have all this space between the galaxies that's called intergalactic space. Andromeda is the closest galaxy to our own Milky Way galaxy and it's 1,600,000 light years away. Again more math than I could even begin to understand since you have to figure that number is only a straight line where what we need is volume. I'll have to search more for the average distance and cube that to give us a very rough guess. But that in itself could take a considerable amount of time to even come remotely close.
By now you're probably wondering what exactly is this light year I've mentioned a few times is. Well a light year is the distance a beam of light can travel in the vacuum of space in one earth year. Some very smart folks figured this out and come up to it being about 5.88 trillion miles. If you like zeros it's closers to 5,878,786,100,000 miles with a hefty amount of rounding up.
Time for another recap:
Light year = 5.88 trillion miles
Galaxy = 100,000 light years across and 3000 thick on average.
125 billion galaxies estimated with space between them.
intergalactic space = XXX light years cubed
I don't think there is a super computer built yet that can even begin to calculate this out.
One thing is certain a lot of people have made a lot of assumptions.
- Main Entry:
- as·sump·tion
- Pronunciation:
- \ə-ˈsəm(p)-shən\
- Function:
- noun
- Etymology:
- Middle English, from Late Latin assumption-, assumptio taking up, from Latin assumere
- Date:
- 13th century
2: a taking to or upon oneself
4: arrogance , pretension
5 a: an assuming that something is true b: a fact or statement (as a proposition, axiom, postulate, or notion) taken for granted
6: the taking over of another's debt
If you take away definitions 4 and 5 pulling out the guessing and and arrogance of these estimates you see these uncommon uses:
1. The taking up of a person into heaven - Jesus ascended into heaven in Acts Chapter 1
2: a taking to or upon oneself - Jesus took our sins upon himself
3: the act of laying claim to or taking possession of something - he took possession of our sins, cured our diseases and healed our wounds.
6: the taking over of another's debt - Jesus paid our debt for our sins.
No comments:
Post a Comment