cosmology -- the origin and structure of the universe
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Cosmology -- the Origin and Structure of the Universe . Cosmological Principle – the Universe appears the same from all directions . There is no preferred location. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Cosmology -- the Origin and Structure of the Universe
Cosmological Principle – the Universe appears the same from all directions .
There is no preferred location.
(The physical laws apply to the whole Universe).
Is there a preferred time ?
The Distance – Redshift Relation (Hubble Law)
The Distribution of Matter – Large Scale Structure
Implications of the finite velocity of light
Consequences of star birth and death
Cosmological models -- “world views”
How we perceive our Universe and our relation to it
Historical models -- geocentric
heliocentric
galactocentric
By mid 20th century -- 3 models or theories
Big Bang -- Father LeMaitre, George Gamow
Oscillating Universe
Steady State -- Fred Hoyle
Early 21st century – Big Bang cosmology firmly established
3 degree background radiation
or cosmic microwave background radiation (CMB)
Nobel Prize 1978
Subsequent work -- numerous measurements, balloon, satellites
COBE
WMAP
The Big Bang -- the standard model -- 13 – 14 x 109 yrs
The Early Universe – the Hubble Deep Field (HDF)
Deepest exposure with HST 10 consecutive days , 342 exposures,
Reaching > 30th mag
Small irregular galaxies - among first objects
Glow from first stars ?
Other considerations -- the critical density of matter, finite or infinite ? and the shape of space
Type Ia supernovae, the accelerating Universe and dark energy
Nobel Prize 2011
Saul Perlmutter Brian Schmidt
Adam Reiss
At the beginning of the 21st century:
The Universe began in a superdense state; it is flat, expanding, the expansion is accelerating, it is dominated by dark energy, and will expand forever.
What about the future ?