Astronomy and Cosmology have always been an interesting subjects for me since I was little. The two units before this unit were somewhat new to me but weren’t filled with a colossal amount of information. When we arrived at this unit I thought it would be a review of what I had already knew about space, but really it was much more than just planets and stars. My knowledge and view of the universe has drastically changed after learning about various concepts like the Main Sequence, Cosmic Microwave Blackbody Radiation, and red or blue shifts. From this i’ve learned that what is happening here on Earth is nothing compared to what is happening to what is happening in the far reaches of space. There is so much going on in our universe and it makes me feel even more optimistic about whether or not one day humans will have the chance to be able to travel the long distance to see all of this with our own eyes.
Everything we’ve learned over these past few weeks about the universe has ranged from something that can be considered to be general knowledge for this topic to stuff we can tell p...
In Alan Lightman’s, “Our Place in the Universe,” he describes his experiences in the Greek Isles explaining how meek it made him feel to be surrounded by the vast ocean with no land in sight except a small strip of brown in the distance. Great thinkers throughout history, have been exploring the visible variety of shapes, colors, and sizes, though the greatest of these are size, from the smallest atom to gargantuan stars. These massive differences in size change the way we view ourselves in the universe. (470) Garth Illingworth, from the University of California, has studied galaxies more than 13 billion light years away from us.
Within William Rowe’s Chapter two of “The Cosmological Argument”, Rowe reconstructs Samuel Clark's Cosmological Argument by making explicit the way in which the Principle of Sufficient Reason, or PSR, operates in the argument as well as providing contradictions of two important criticisms from Rowe’s argument.
In the article The Cosmic Perspective by Neil deGrasse Tyson he examines a range of topics from human life coming from Mars to how our perspective of the universe relates to religion. In the year 2000, a new space show opened at the Hayden Planetarium called Passport to the Universe, which compared the size of people Milky Way and beyond. While a show like this might make someone feel minuscule and insignificant, Tyson says that seeing the size of the universe actually makes him feel more alive not less and gives him a sense of grandeur. I agree with his idea that looking at us as a people in comparison can actually give you a sense of grandeur. However, when I compare myself to the vastness of space, it puts events on Earth in perspective while showing how influential we can be as a people even if we are small.
Cosmology is a field of astronomy that focuses on the framework, and emergence of the universe. Over the years, many cosmologists have contributed to the subject, using many forms of technology, to make a multitude of discoveries. Improvements in technology are responsible for superlative discoveries, chiefly about the Big Bang, the origin of our universe. The works of various cosmologists, such as Galileo Galilei, Edwin Hubble, Robert Dicke, Arno Penzias, Robert Wilson, and Vera Rubin have changed the way humanity views the universe, through their use of technology, and through their brilliance.
It is applicable for a wide range of readers. It lends itself to someone interested in the highly complex areas of astronomy but also makes it easy to understand for a beginner. Zeeya Merali used short and simple sentences to make it easy for the reader to follow. The article was accompanied by diagrams to fortify the readers’ comprehension. I especially appreciated the diagrams explaining the three possible endings for the universe.
An underlying theme present throughout the series is the possibility that our existence is not the only one. According to current theories in physics, it is entirely possible that our universe is just one of many universes f...
The Main Strengths of the Cosmological Argument There are many strengths within the Cosmological Argument which have proven theories and ways to prove the existence of God. Many of these strengths have come from such scholars as; Copleston, Aquinas and Leibniz, all of which have put together major points to prove the existence of a non-contingent being. One of the main strengths of the Cosmological Argument is from Aquinas way I that was about motion. This would be a posteriori argument because you need to gather evidence from the world around you.
Every time a new ‘‘messenger” (different photon wavelengths or a different particle) has added to the list of observables accessible to astrophysicists, the Universe has appeared under a new light: it has revealed surprising features and triggered new questions, ultimately changing our understanding of fundamental physics and cosmology.Examples include the new elementary particles discovered in cosmic rays in the ‘30s and ‘40s, flavor oscillations from the solar and atmospheric neutrinos, or the revolutions brought by radio or X-ray astronomy. The last decade, a new branch of astronomy was born: high energy and very high energy gamma-ray astronomy.
One area I am extremely passionate about is outer space. Since I was a child, I have always looked at the stars with a sense of awe, wondering “what could possibly be out there?” Still, I retain that sense of wonder when I read about new advancements and discoveries. The unfathomable vastness of space never ceases to knock me off my feet. One particular point of fascination is black holes: massive, unrelenting voids which we still understand little about. One reason I am drawn to them (aside from their inescapable pull), is because we know so little, there is so much to discover, there is so much to explore. Space is full of unsolved problems and unexplained phenomena, just begging for order to be extracted from their
In the early 1900s, the size of the universe had not been known. There were many different theories about the size, but no one had known for sure. However, in late 1919, George Ellery Hale, founder and Director of Mount Wilson Observatory in Nevada, had the idea of a debate between Harlow Shapley of the Mount Wilson Observatory and Heber D. Curtis of the Lick Observatory over the size of the universe. This debate is now known as The Great Debate. In this debate, titled “The Scale of the Universe,” both men used faulty and fragmented evidence to corroborate their arguments. The winner of the debate was not known at the time, as no one knew if what they were saying was true. However, Curtis was said to be more eloquent in his delivery of his
Since the beginning of time, mankind has sought after learning about and exploring the universe. This yearning drove us to achieve such great things as the journey to the moon and the discovery of water on Mars. Nowadays, several people argue as to whether or not space exploration is worth the effort. I believe that it is humanity’s instinctual nature to pursue a better understanding of ourselves, and our universe. Further understanding of our universe will lead to the discovery of new technologies and ways to secure humanity’s survivability.
Space has always been a pivotal and utmost important subject for many years. In the past, scientists have made monumental advances in this field such as sending people into orbit and landing a man on the moon. Of course, this has only barely been explored and we still have a lot more to see of the ever-vast outer space. One of the most significant topics of all of science has only been touched and there’s still more to come.
“Sheltered as we are by Earth's atmosphere and magnetic field, which deflect lethal radiation from space, we are like coddled children who have never ventured into a tough neighborhood” (Folger 2). Humans have been fascinated with space since the beginning of our time. Just like children and rough neighborhoods, we have tackled obstacle over obstacle to make it home again. In the end, we have a better knowledge and strength than before. The future of space exploration can assist us in answering the everlasting question of how the universe came to be. The more we explore the infinite galaxies, the more we can scientifically discover and create new technologies as science advances. As we continue to discover, we can create new fields and occupations for aspiring young students like myself.
I first became interested in astronomy when my 7th science grade teacher was teaching us how black holes work. Although I didn’t understand much of what I was being taught, I began to have tons of question on the subject. This longing for answers lead me to seek the help required to understanding the universe. I began to read more books and seeked help from those who might help me answer my questions. I plan to pursue my interest in USC by taking advantage of the astronomy programs that they offer and push my understanding of astronomy so that I can ask more thought provoking questions to myself as well as my peers. I am also hoping to take part research opportunities in the astronomy or cosmology fields.
This is probably the greatest discovery imaginable; however, the universe still seems to be a very controversial subject.