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The Universe

Posted: 25 Apr 2023, 14:22
by Airspeed
Just watched a TV programme, which tried to explain stuff to us mere mortals.
Not only does dark matter make up a missing huge amount of mass that generates enough gravity to hold the Universe together,
but dark energy is an even larger chunk, and may explain why the whole shebang is expanding at an accelerating rate.
The Rubens telescope in Chile will be able to photograph the entire sky in 3 nights, instead of the previous decades for the same task.
It will continuously repeat the process for ten years, allowing astronomers to animate the observed expansion and allow better measurements.

In short, they now think that the big U is made up of 25% dark matter, 70% dark energy, and the remaining 5% is what we are able to see.
They are building a deep underground facility to filter out all cosmic radiation. Sodium whatever which will produce light when it collides with dark matter, so they will be able to detect it.
They say that we are totally unaware of the passage of dark matter through our bodies (and everything else on Earth), but I wonder if those sudden twinges I get in my joints are bits that don't pass through cleanly :dunno:

Re: The Universe

Posted: 25 Apr 2023, 17:28
by FlyTexas
Mind blowing stuff. :-O

Brian

Re: The Universe

Posted: 26 Apr 2023, 09:33
by emfrat
I was wondering why this and earlier years have been disappearing so quickly. I used to blame the calendar manufacturers, for cutting costs by using smaller numbers, and hence making Christmases much closer together, but this new research might provide an explanation. Here's hoping :agree:
MikeW

Re: The Universe

Posted: 26 Apr 2023, 13:12
by Airspeed
emfrat wrote:
26 Apr 2023, 09:33
I was wondering why this and earlier years have been disappearing so quickly. I used to blame the calendar manufacturers, for cutting costs by using smaller numbers, and hence making Christmases much closer together, but this new research might provide an explanation. Here's hoping :agree:
MikeW
:lol:

I have to apologise for my misspelling: It is Rubin, not Rubens.
Monthly updates shown here, schedule at foot listing milestones, and there's heaps more in the side menu, eg, see the camera tech details under "Camera", astounding capabilities beyond my comprehension.
https://www.lsst.org/about/project-status

Re: The Universe

Posted: 28 Apr 2023, 02:10
by Kevin Farnell
Monty Python - The Galaxy Song

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buqtdpuZxvk

On a more serious note, if you want to observe the dark skies above you, then I highly recommend the freeware programme 'Stellarium', available for Windows, Mac, Linux ans as a website https://stellarium.org/, There is also an app, but may require a small payment.

Kevin