Hubble

[ZenGum]

Originally Posted by Beestie

Isn't there a new space telescope in the works?

Hey, you're a smart guy so maybe you can answer this question. I read where the Hubble captured a pic of an object 13B light years away so they figure its almost as old as the universe itself.

So if it took 13B years for the light to reach earth, doesn't that mean it was in that location 13B years ago? That would seem to be impossible since, it would not be possible for any two objects to be 13B light years apart 13B years ago.

I can't figure that one out.

I don't fully understand you question. You write

it would not be possible for any two objects to be 13B light years apart 13B years ago.

Which two? Object X (as seen by Hubble) and ... what, Earth? If so, why not?

Perhaps this might help confuse the shit out of you:

The universe is appx 14B years old. It is MUCH more than 14B light years across. Matter is scattered at least as far as we can see in BOTH directions, vastly more than 14B light years from side to side. How could this be, if nothing can move faster than C, the speed of light?

The answer, (and I hope it answers your questions too) is "inflation"; the idea that the universe underwent an incredibly rapid expansion very early in its existence.
Imagine a few flies crawling about the surface of an infinitely stretchy balloon. Neither can crawl faster than C. After one second, they might be two light seconds apart. But if someone is blowing up the ballon (really really fast and big) you might go back and measure the distance and find it a lot more than two light seconds, because the skin of the balloon has stretched because of the inflation.

Got that? This will be in the exam next week.



Bruce ... you're evil