Hubble Bubble

[Perdita X]

Arrghh - head has just been totally battered by reading Article about Hubble Space telescope. And it has left me with a question that I need help answering.. so here goes

Hubble space Telescope - sees things that are sooo far away that the light from them takes billions of years to get to our orbit (where Hubble is). Some of the latest stuff it has picked up (note the use of detailed technical language there!) has taken 13 billion years to get here. Give or take 0.7 billion years that is almost as old as the actual universe. They are going to do repairs that mean that it will be able to pick up even deeper into space and hence will be able to take pictures whose light has taken even longer to get here.
This means that Hubble is taking a snapshot of the universe as it was 13+ billion years ago - very interesting and getting ever nearer to learning even more about the Big Bang.
But, this leaves me worrying about something fairly major - we can see what universe was like THEN (ie in the past) - but what the hell is it like NOW ?? - is it the same ? - has it ended in the now? When is now anyway ?

I am like you know ... worried about all of this

Any Astrophysicists out there ?

Perdita X

[poohbcarrot]

If the universe is 13 billion years old and Hubble can pick up images that come from 13 billion years ago, then logically there must be nothing further away than that. This is of course if we assume Earth to be the ground zero of the big bang.

If the earth were not ground zero for the big bang and the probability is it wasn't, then some point 6.5 billion years away could have been the ground zero so we should be able to see another 6.5 billion years away because of the different directions travelled.

However it is reasonable to assume the universe is not expanding at a uniform rate so every day the furthest point might get twice as far away, so the universe may only be 6.5 billion years old.

Or some supreme being could have created it all at around Wednesday 3:30pm August 17 4000BC

Eventually Hubble will be able to take a photo of the man who carries the sack that contains the whole universe including himself and the Hubble.

Utter twaddle the lot of it!

[poohbcarrot]

Answer B

"Please Miss Susan, please Miss, I know the answer, I know.

It's always "now".

Can I have a gold star from the stationery cupboard?

Oh...and I've got wee-wee in my shoes!"

[Dotsie]

If the earth were not ground zero for the big bang and the probability is it wasn't, then some point 6.5 billion years away could have been the ground zero so we should be able to see another 6.5 billion years away because of the different directions travelled.

I see your logic, but this assumes that the universe is shaped like a big ball that we are at the centre of. Astrophysicists are generally in agreement that this is not the case, although there are a number of versions you can pick from. I going to go with saddle-shaped. Just because I like it. I have no idea why it might be so (or any of the other shapes suggested), as I don't really understand the explanations given. But it's all probably quantum.

As for what the universe is doing now, well we're sitting in it so that's not much of a problem (for the aforementioned astrophysicists). All the galaxies etc that are 13 billion light years away are probably doing something completely different by now (if indeed they still exist).

Boggles the mind, doesn't it? Probably why Poohb has wee wee in his shoes

[chris.ph]

i thought the universe was supposed to be ring doughnut shape which means if you look far enough either way youll see the bb

[bogieman]

I have always had trouble with this in the fact they say it is space that is expanding with the universe. My question is what was there before the space.

lets say the big bang was 14 billion years ago and we use the hubble to view 14.2 billion years ago. Then there has to be something there?
The word is infinite and that is what space is.

Like numbers think of the largest number in the universe.... then add 1, ok you may not know what to call it but it is there.

What about this idea we are seeing in to the past and what's there now I say if we can see it then it is still there and it is there now. Rather than it being the light from 14billion years age it would take us 14billion years to get there.

Don't think there is an issue here we are safe for a while

[Who's Wee Dug]

<My question is what was there before the space.> Dark Matter

[poohbcarrot]

The best thing to do with the Hubble photos is to cover your wall and ceiling with pretty pictures of spiral galaxies, supernovas etc, dim the lights, put on some freaky new-age whale-calling/Gregorian chants type music, ingest a large quantity of magic mushrooms, then lie back and relax. Either the secrets of the cosmos will be unlocked or you'll start to believe you're Kevin the magical sky pixie - wibble

[Dotsie]

I have always had trouble with this in the fact they say it is space that is expanding with the universe. My question is what was there before the space.

Nothing - there has to be space to be a "there" in.

lets say the big bang was 14 billion years ago and we use the hubble to view 14.2 billion years ago.

You can't. There wasn't a "then" either.

Poohb's solution is the best. If you want to do some serious thinking about space, time, the universe etc, you have to follow doctors' advice- "It won't hurt if you relax"

[Perdita X]

I have always had trouble with this in the fact they say it is space that is expanding with the universe. My question is what was there before the space.

the question there Bogieman is what the hell is the space expanding into - there then has to be an area outside of space - that is ... What ? - non space ? potential space ? dark matter ? light matter ?

I know it's bigger than big and probably (given our monkey status) we will never know - but it makes you wonder !

Head hurts, going for lie down and handful of dried frog pills. Might get one of those star projectors and follow sensible advice given above

Love n peace Perdita X

[Jan Van Quirm]

i thought the universe was supposed to be ring doughnut shape which means if you look far enough either way youll see the bb

Oh gawd! (or equivalent creator/deity/pixie myth) We all have to live in fear of the Galactic Homer Simpson then?

PMSL

[chris.ph]

when you reach the wall or boundary at the end of the universe whats on the other side

[Jan Van Quirm]

Infinity I'd guess

The only kind of infinity that interests me is a wet one - a pool in fact somewhere hot with a well stocked bar and a well-stacked waiter - in the shade

[Bouncy Castle]

Eh?

[chris.ph]

an infinity pool bouncy