Astronomers have found evidence for the most distant galaxies ever detected.
The galaxies are seen as they existed just 500 million years after the birth of the universe. Their light, traversing the cosmos for more than 13 billion years, was seen only because it was distorted in a natural "gravitational lens" created by the gravity-bending mass of a nearer cluster of galaxies.
"Gravitational lensing is the magnification of distant sources by foreground structures," explained Caltech astronomer Richard Ellis, who led the international team. "By looking through carefully selected clusters, we have located six star-forming galaxies seen at unprecedented distances, corresponding to a time when the universe was only 500 million years old, or less than 4 percent of its present age."
The universe is estimated to be 13.7 billion years old, so that puts the newfound galaxies at 13.2 billion light-years away. A light-year is the distance light travels in a year, about 6 trillion miles (10 trillion kilometers).
2007-07-10 11:26:45 · 7 answers · asked by Yank 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Source: today, SPACE.com. No deity involved, just science and we remarkable human critters putting our emerging brains to work. Wow!
2007-07-10 11:29:16 · update #1
indeed, yes. we leave no stone unturned, and under each stone we find several new stones. is there a better time than now to be curious?
2007-07-10 11:41:41 · answer #1 · answered by vorenhutz 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hell, I don't have to look that far or at something that big to be fascinated. I'm a chemist, and every day I work with tiny particles, and it amazes me how much we can predict about reactivity when it's still difficult to give a direct, concise definition of a chemical bond. So feel free to look broadly, but don't forget that the miniscule is just as intriguing.
2007-07-10 20:01:09 · answer #2 · answered by Phil 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The universes are the most thing remarcamal ever! Its beyond explaination. There arent words yet to discribe our universe, and others. But there are so many questions unanswered. One day we will all understand and know as a fact how the universe became and what will become of it. The onse who wonder, what is beyond what we know, are the onse who will know and discover, become something great.
2007-07-10 18:36:50 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The reality of stars a lot more awe inspiring than just being considered as "points of light fixed in the heavens."
2007-07-10 18:32:58 · answer #4 · answered by Dendronbat Crocoduck 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Do you always talk like a Wodehouse character?
2007-07-10 18:30:14 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yeah, makes me wonder how people can look at this universe and not realize there is a God, I mean, some higher power had to create this.
2007-07-10 18:32:50 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋
I do say, old chap...fascinating! Care for a spot of tea, vicar?
2007-07-10 18:31:55 · answer #7 · answered by ? 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋