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There is no absolute proof until we go out there and measure it directly, but the current theory is well supported by multiple lines of evidence.
First is the cosmological redshift, which is *not* the same as the Doppler shift. While the Doppler shift reflects the relative motion between the object and the observer (and can therefore be a redshift or a blueshift), the cosmological or Hubble redshift is a direct result of the expansion of space itself. As the universe expands, so do the light waves traveling through it, and the amount of wave expansion (the redshift) increases with time after the light is first emitted. Therefore, the light from distant objects, which has been traveling for billions of years, appears "stretched" to longer and longer wavelengths.
http://www.astro.virginia.edu/~jh8h/glossary/redshift.htm
This raises a question: How do we know that highly redshifted objects are really as far away as we think they are? We can't measure the distance, and maybe there's another explanation for such high redshifts. However, there is additional evidence to support the expansion theory as an explanation for the redshift.
First, the cosmic background radiation has a spectrum which matches what would be expected from the "first light" of the universe after having become expanded to radio wavelengths over 13+ billion years.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmic_microwave_background_radiation
This may be a bit self-defining, but the second line of evidence is not. Certain types of stars behave in very specific ways related to their absolute magnitude (brightness), which makes them useful as "standard candles" to determine very large distances. Given an example close enough to Earth for its distance to be measured accurately, the distances to similar objects can be derived directly from their apparent magnitudes.
http://universe-review.ca/R02-07-candle.htm
The standard candle that supports expansion is the type Ia supernova. They are the result of a white dwarf star accumulating mass from a nearby companion star until it approahes the ultimate "critical mass" and undergoes runaway fusion. Since type Ia supernovae all have the same mass and detonate in the same way, they all have about the same brightness, and the apparent magnitude is directly related to the distance to the supernova.
http://universe-review.ca/R02-07-candle.htm#type1a
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_Ia_supernova
Until one or more of these lines of evidence is disproven, the expansion of the universe will continue to be accepted, if not as "fact," then at least "consistent with everything else we know."
Tags: universe, hubble, expansion, redshift
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There is a phenomenon in Sound that is called the Doppler Effect, best illustrated by this example of how relative motion between producer and observer affects the sound heard by the observer : If you are standing on a railway platform and a train approaching you blows its whistle, the pitch and frequency at which you hear the whistle increases as the train comes towards you. Conversely, if the train is moving away from you, the pitch and frequency decreases.
Similarly, if an emitter of light is moving away from you, the wavelength of the light that you observe over a period of time keeps shifting towards the Red part of the spectrum. If it is moving towards you, the wavelength shifts towards the Blue part of the spectrum.
Hubble's observations proved that all light from distant objects as observed from earth was shifting towards the red part of the spectrum.
Source(s):
http://www.google.com
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buddawiggi
The Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmic_microwave_background_radiation
... shows evidence of a "universal expansion" in the literal sense.. I.e. near identical growth in all relative directions (the aforementioned "red shift").
If the "Big Bang" theory is correct, this evidence seems to support it.
I believe in a kind of M-Theory (Super string theory) that includes the universal expansion snapping back and making contact with the membrains and causing repeated big bangs... But I could be here all day discussing that :)
A great, kind of related, video course from Stanford EDU:
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=189C0DCE90CB6D81
And an amazing audiobook / video by The Teaching Company:
http://www.teach12.com/ttcx/coursedesclong2.aspx?cid=153&id=153
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Answered Question
M$1
July 16, 2009 12:46 PM
What is the absolute proof that the Universe is expanding not contracting?
I am an Astronomy lightweight so a basic explanation could be best.
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Interesting: market_merchants_consulting, bunnyphuphu, badaspie
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| July 17, 2009 02:23 AM |
First is the cosmological redshift, which is *not* the same as the Doppler shift. While the Doppler shift reflects the relative motion between the object and the observer (and can therefore be a redshift or a blueshift), the cosmological or Hubble redshift is a direct result of the expansion of space itself. As the universe expands, so do the light waves traveling through it, and the amount of wave expansion (the redshift) increases with time after the light is first emitted. Therefore, the light from distant objects, which has been traveling for billions of years, appears "stretched" to longer and longer wavelengths.
http://www.astro.virginia.edu/~jh8h/glossary/redshift.htm
This raises a question: How do we know that highly redshifted objects are really as far away as we think they are? We can't measure the distance, and maybe there's another explanation for such high redshifts. However, there is additional evidence to support the expansion theory as an explanation for the redshift.
First, the cosmic background radiation has a spectrum which matches what would be expected from the "first light" of the universe after having become expanded to radio wavelengths over 13+ billion years.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmic_microwave_background_radiation
This may be a bit self-defining, but the second line of evidence is not. Certain types of stars behave in very specific ways related to their absolute magnitude (brightness), which makes them useful as "standard candles" to determine very large distances. Given an example close enough to Earth for its distance to be measured accurately, the distances to similar objects can be derived directly from their apparent magnitudes.
http://universe-review.ca/R02-07-candle.htm
The standard candle that supports expansion is the type Ia supernova. They are the result of a white dwarf star accumulating mass from a nearby companion star until it approahes the ultimate "critical mass" and undergoes runaway fusion. Since type Ia supernovae all have the same mass and detonate in the same way, they all have about the same brightness, and the apparent magnitude is directly related to the distance to the supernova.
http://universe-review.ca/R02-07-candle.htm#type1a
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_Ia_supernova
Until one or more of these lines of evidence is disproven, the expansion of the universe will continue to be accepted, if not as "fact," then at least "consistent with everything else we know."
| Asker's Rating: |
• as usual.. fantastic answer. thank you.
Tags: universe, hubble, expansion, redshift
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July 16, 2009 12:59 PM
There are several observations that are used as proof for an expanding universe. They all stem from an initial deduction made by Hubble, who proved that all distant objects in space are relatively moving away from an observer on earth. The observation he used to prove this is called Redshift. There is a phenomenon in Sound that is called the Doppler Effect, best illustrated by this example of how relative motion between producer and observer affects the sound heard by the observer : If you are standing on a railway platform and a train approaching you blows its whistle, the pitch and frequency at which you hear the whistle increases as the train comes towards you. Conversely, if the train is moving away from you, the pitch and frequency decreases.
Similarly, if an emitter of light is moving away from you, the wavelength of the light that you observe over a period of time keeps shifting towards the Red part of the spectrum. If it is moving towards you, the wavelength shifts towards the Blue part of the spectrum.
Hubble's observations proved that all light from distant objects as observed from earth was shifting towards the red part of the spectrum.
Source(s):
http://www.google.com
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buddawiggi
July 16, 2009 01:27 PM
So the Doppler Effect, Similar to how I would know if an Ambulance is approaching me or traveling away from me by the sound of its siren?
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July 16, 2009 01:30 PM
Correct, only Hubble uses lightwaves instead of sound. Then again, light and sound only differ in frequency... It results in so called 'redshift' photos like this one:
http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/211728main_young_bright_lg.jpg
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http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/211728main_young_bright_lg.jpg
July 17, 2009 02:38 AM
Yes, the doppler effect is exactly what happens with an ambulance is passing. The pitch is higher for an ambulance coming towards, and sounds like a lower pitch as it moves away from you.
The doppler effect is also how radar works measuring the speed of a car.
The ambulance example is a shift in the audio spectrum while the radar & redshift are examples of shift in optical spectrum.
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The doppler effect is also how radar works measuring the speed of a car.
The ambulance example is a shift in the audio spectrum while the radar & redshift are examples of shift in optical spectrum.
July 16, 2009 05:51 PM
Thats why I became curious. I mean, measured on such a large scale, it seems to me that it would be very difficult to know which way we were going and that we could only know that we, and other objects in the universe, were moving.
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July 16, 2009 06:25 PM
There is no absolute proof, but a lot of theory. The Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmic_microwave_background_radiation
... shows evidence of a "universal expansion" in the literal sense.. I.e. near identical growth in all relative directions (the aforementioned "red shift").
If the "Big Bang" theory is correct, this evidence seems to support it.
I believe in a kind of M-Theory (Super string theory) that includes the universal expansion snapping back and making contact with the membrains and causing repeated big bangs... But I could be here all day discussing that :)
A great, kind of related, video course from Stanford EDU:
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=189C0DCE90CB6D81
And an amazing audiobook / video by The Teaching Company:
http://www.teach12.com/ttcx/coursedesclong2.aspx?cid=153&id=153
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