the basic structure of the universe. what is the universe? all matter and energy, including the...
TRANSCRIPT
The Basic Structure of the Universe
What is the Universe?
All matter and energy, including the earth, all the galaxies, and the contents of
intergalactic space, regarded as a whole.
The Speed of Light The Speed of Light Light is a form of Electromagnetic RadiationLight is a form of Electromagnetic Radiation Light is a wave and a particle (packet of waves)Light is a wave and a particle (packet of waves)
Light has a constant speed Light has a constant speed cc 186,000 miles per second 186,000 miles per second 299,792,458 meters per second 299,792,458 meters per second
All radiation moves at this speed in a vacuumAll radiation moves at this speed in a vacuum Radio waves - Cell phones, X-rays, UV – suntansRadio waves - Cell phones, X-rays, UV – suntans
Time and Light• When we look out at the Universe we are
looking back in time.– The nearest star is 4.3 light years away. – The distance to the galaxy M87 in
the Virgo cluster is 50 million
light years. – The distance to most distant
object seen in the universe is
about 13 billion light years.
A measure of Distance and of Time
3 lightminutes
Galaxies Near and Far
Messier 106Distance: 21 million light-years
Hubble Ultra Deep FieldDistance: 13 billion light-years
What is a galaxy?
A galaxy is a collection of stars, dust, and gas bound together by gravity.
Elliptical Galaxies
Spiral Galaxies
We are part of the Milky Way spiral galaxy. It contains between 200 and 400 billion stars, one of which is our sun.
That means our entire Solar System is just a dot at the end of the arrow above! It takes light about 100,000 light-years to
travel the diameter of the galaxy.
The Milky Way
The Andromeda Galaxy is the closest large galaxy and looks a lot like our Milky Way Galaxy. It is 2.2 million light years from Earth! Other smaller galaxies are anywhere
from 50,000 to several hundred thousand light years away.
We live in a Solar System.
Our solar system includes the sun, all eight planets, the “dwarf planet” Pluto, and many
smaller objects such as moons and asteroids. Remember: Our entire Solar System is just a
dot in the Milky Way Galaxy!
Our Solar System
Asteroid Belt
Most of these pictures were taken with the Hubble Space Telescope in orbit around our planet. It is 575 km (360
miles) above Earth and traveling at 7,500 m/s. It orbits the Earth every 97 minutes.
Structure of the Universe:Think of it this way!
Universe Science Book
Galaxies Chapters
Solar Systems Sections
Planets Sub-Sections
Earth One of the Sub-Sections