I've looked into some Astronomy books and I can't remember ever reading why this is so. How can we possibly have a view of our position in the Galaxy we are supposed to be embedded in. If routine Solar System travel is not yet humanly possible.Never mind Inter Galactic space travel ?
2006-09-18 18:45:49 · 10 answers · asked by sandwreckoner 4 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Yes,I know about sattelites and the hubble Space telescope.Which can't see our glaxy.But,man made sattelites are a recent development. The farthest ones are the Pioneer 10 & 11 ones.Which are on a horizontal trajectory in our Solar System only. These two devices aren't nearly far enough in outer space to show us an immage of our galaxy. The signals from these things stoped after they got beyond Pluto. Just outside our Solar System.Not Galaxy. Read Cosmos & Bilions& Bilions & Pale Blue Dot by Sagan. I have an Astronomy book showing a top view of our galaxy and an arrow pointing out our exact position. There's just no way anyone can know that for sure. You can't prove that we're in the Milky "Way Galaxy in the same way that you can prove that the Earth is round or that two object of varying masses fall at the same rate to the ground or that water boils at 100C(180F)or 373k. There's no experimental proof. How would you prove it experimentally ? That's what matters or counts in Scienc
2006-09-18 19:37:13 · update #1
Out of the blue, I can think of two ways.
case 1)
Look at the night sky (assume that the disk of milky-way is visible approximately in the North south direction). Perform star counts. Roughly what it means is that you first define a small projected area (on the celestial sphere) and then count the number of stars of one particular type. This you keep on doing at a few places on the milky way. Now do the same above an below the plane of the milky-way. Now if our galaxy is like a sphere with us inside it, to one particular direction you will have maximum number density. In all other directions the number density of stars will fall off uniformly. If our galaxy is like a disk, in the plane of the disk, the number density of stars will fall off uniformly, but in the perpendicular direction, the fall off will be even more drastic. If our galaxy has a spiral structure, in the plane of the galaxy, the number density will fall of "uniformly" but with few number density enhancement where the spiral structure is strong. (The disk/spiral case assumes that we are in the plane of the disk/spiral). In addition, if we have a method to find the distance to the stars, we can generate a 3-D model of the galaxy. As to the question, why only spherical/elliptical, disk or spiral structures are considered the answer is that most of the other galaxies belong to one of these types.
case 2)
Studying the distribution of gas (atomic hydrogen/ carbon monoxide etc) in the galaxy using radio telescopes. I am not going to elaborate this. Fedup of typing.
2006-09-18 23:09:16 · answer #1 · answered by R A 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are many efforts by human beings to imagine or plot our position in the universe. From the orbits of the Sun and other stars the Milky Way is realised as our own galaxy.
The Milky Way's shape was first determined through studying globular clusters. With the help of modern technology Milky Way appears to be a spiral galaxy, and we are on one of the spiral arms.
2006-09-19 02:26:39 · answer #2 · answered by Lutfor 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Take a look in the room around you. Without moving from your chair, if you had a tape measure you could judge the distance from you to every other object in the room, right?
So you could also calculate the distance from Earth and our Sun to the other stars in the Milky Way, and other galaxies. You don't need to observe something from above in order to learn about it.
2006-09-19 02:05:58 · answer #3 · answered by Koko Nut 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
What evidence is there for the existence of our Milky Way Galaxy?
You mean other than the fact that on a clear, dark night, you can see it?
-----edit----
Hubble's Law has absolutely NO bearing whatsoever on objects within our own galaxy.
2006-09-19 04:10:59 · answer #4 · answered by Morgy 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hubble's Law establishes a simple mathematical relationship between the redshift of a star and its distance. The further away it is, the greater the redshift. We measure the redshift by spectroscopic analysis of the light an object emits and multiply by Hubble's Constant to determine the distance of the object from us.
2006-09-19 02:23:23 · answer #5 · answered by Candice B 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
you do know that satellites and other unmanned space traveling machines/devices are very far from earth and deep into space and taking pictures, at this very moment,,,, and have been for years now........ don't you?
2006-09-19 01:59:56 · answer #6 · answered by steelmadison 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Candice B, Your spot on.
2006-09-19 04:16:29 · answer #7 · answered by scoop405106 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Maybe there isn't; we can't be sure of anything this days...
2006-09-19 04:49:18 · answer #8 · answered by verssy_verye 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
mmmmm milky way
2006-09-19 01:48:05 · answer #9 · answered by ? 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
telascopes....hubble.....a time when there wasn't as much light pollution.
2006-09-19 01:56:58 · answer #10 · answered by Marg N 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋