Number of stars in known universe

James S · July 22, 2003, 16:52:28

What astronomers have learned since Hubble was put in orbit has been amazing. They are seeing light sources so old that they believe were some of the very first baby galaxies to have existed.

There is a new orbital observatory being built that has far greater resolution and light sensitivity to Hubble. How many stars and galaxies will this one be able to see?

James.

dino333 · July 22, 2003, 17:00:35

That number is only an estimate as to how many stars are visible from earth. There are a LOT more that we can't see

fredhedd · July 22, 2003, 17:31:38

good topic. i don't have anythin to do tonight so i'm gonna sit on my roof and count em. i'll post the real number of stars tomorrow.

Squeek · July 22, 2003, 18:02:24

From what I have seen, the best stars (in our country...) can be seen in the mountains of the southwest. I have no idea how many there could have possibly been that one night, but it was MANY.

And we used to to that rooftop idea, but city lights can be so cumbersome.

I love lookin at nature

~Squeek

Nick · July 22, 2003, 19:03:38

The next time I return to Flagstaff, Arizona which most likely will be in a couple of months, I plan on visiting the Lowell Observatory.The observatory was founded in 1894 by Boston mathmetician Percival Lowell. It is today still a major center of astronomical research.

According to what I've read about the Lowell Observatory, discovery of the first evidence of the expansion of the Universe in 1912 and the discovery of the planet Pluto in 1930 were a few of the achievements there. They have nighttime telescope viewing tours according to the brochure. Hmmm, maybe next time I'll get a closer look at some of those beautiful stars. [^]

Very best,

ronaldo · July 22, 2003, 19:05:02

I bought a telescope a few months ago it's amazing what u can c i was just looking at jupiter the other night. what a sight, althought it was tiny u could c the moons around it. the only problem with telescopes is the weather it needs 2 b really clear.
maybe i could astral travel there instead

fredhedd · July 22, 2003, 19:21:23

on a familar note: i live in pennsylvania and i dont know abou the rest of the country but on a clear night i can see mars. i am not sure how much longer it will be visible but it's pretty cool looking. a friend of mine who is into that sorta thing showed me. it's right next to the moon and pretty bright. it's got a yellowish tint to it and it doesn't twinkle like stars do. it's very visible.

ralphm · July 22, 2003, 23:55:09

I have always been amazed that some of the stars we see are actually galaxies containing millions of stars.

Rob · July 23, 2003, 02:12:57

Sweet. I never liked the idea that the universe was finite! But, then, what about the rythms (sp?) of life? It seems to me that everything is subject to these shifts - like wilhelm reich "discovered" and studied the cycles in orgone energy, life force. But it seems to apply on all levels and sizes - why not then to the universe? Things expand, and then contract - positive flows out, reaches its outermost point, then flows in, becomes negative, then out again etc etc. Maybe instead of the whole universe expanding and contracing again in a continuous catastophic cycle, if the universe is infinite, these phases flow through the universe like waves with crests and troughs. Maybe, in terms of higher energies, earth is just moving out of a trough phase and going towards a peak (I think it passed the average line in 87 [

]). But hhmmm the cycle should still apply to any complete system....
ramble ramble ramble....lol I should get back to work.

be well!
Rob

ps Hubble was mentioned.....damn NASA......grrrr......why, someone please tell me, is there not a continuous feed from hubble on their website??? HUH??!!!??!!?? Why do we only get a couple of pretty pictures and then told "hey thats your lot!!"

? The new one wont be any better either....bah....

dino333 · July 23, 2003, 09:16:20

I guess if anyone had a lot of time they could project into real-time and try to fly to the edge of the universe, to see if it really is infinite, and, if it isn't, what's on the other side.

beavis · July 23, 2003, 10:24:57

Adrian "Astronomers are finally arriving at the conclusion that the universe is indeed infinite."

How can they scientifically estimate the number of starts to be infinity times what they actually measured?

fireprooflighter · July 23, 2003, 11:05:08

With all those stars, some of them even with their own planets I'm sure, and the universe being infinite, I don't see how we could be the only life in the universe. There must be aliens!
Maybe someone should try projecting to an alien planet. I would but I don't know how yet. [:I]

Links Shadow · July 23, 2003, 11:12:02

quote:
Originally posted by Nick

The next time I return to Flagstaff, Arizona which most likely will be in a couple of months, I plan on visiting the Lowell Observatory.

I have been to Lowell Observatory many times as I live within a hours drive, atleast when either my mom or I drives. The night time tour is nice. I hope you enjoy your time there.

Respectfully,
Links Shadow

Adrian · July 23, 2003, 12:40:01

Greetings,

quote:
Originally posted by dino333

I guess if anyone had a lot of time they could project into real-time and try to fly to the edge of the universe, to see if it really is infinite, and, if it isn't, what's on the other side.

Robert has already tried that and gave up after a while. Even travelling at phenomenal speed he kept on passing galaxies and star systems all the time until he concluded he wasn't going to reach the edge of the universe.

With best regards,

Adrian.

strwrs_guru · July 23, 2003, 20:18:12

see this kind of thing is what points toward aliens and a creator that is not what we get from our bibles. why would He make star systems that have all the probability of holding life so far out there we would never see them or experience them in any way?our bible is very narrow minded and actually very arrogant. we supposedly rule the earth and all her creatures and anything else He created. He gave us dominion over all of it. [?] again.....dominion over planetary systems we will never come in contact with? or even see with our most powerful telescopes? i dont get it. all this info makes me do is question more![?]

no_leaf_clover · July 23, 2003, 20:25:50

guru, i think thats one of the reasons the church had so much of a hard time accepting that the earth wasnt the center of the universe. they fought that case forever.. in the 1990's they just publicly apologized for the astronomers they killed back a few centuries ago for saying that the earth revolved around the sun.. took them a while, huh?

beavis · July 23, 2003, 21:26:28

The sun does revolve around earth. Space is relative so we can arbitrarily set earth today as point (0,0,0,0)

strwrs_guru · July 23, 2003, 21:39:34

thats funny no leaf. is that really true? i have to admit if it is thats just one more thing that sets me on the path that i am on. i do believe in God but i no longer believe in these organized religions.

hey i know....we should start our own AP religion and tell everyone we have all the answers. lol [

][

]

Adrian · July 24, 2003, 06:01:26

Greetings,

quote:
Originally posted by strwrs_guru

see this kind of thing is what points toward aliens and a creator that is not what we get from our bibles. why would He make star systems that have all the probability of holding life so far out there we would never see them or experience them in any way?our bible is very narrow minded and actually very arrogant. we supposedly rule the earth and all her creatures and anything else He created. He gave us dominion over all of it. [?] again.....dominion over planetary systems we will never come in contact with? or even see with our most powerful telescopes? i dont get it. all this info makes me do is question more![?]

The bible was compiled several hundred years after Jesus (Joshua) and was totally and completely misinterpreted. His teachings were in symbolic and mystical terms, with the objective of gathering afew people who were advanced enough to understand, and who would then carry in the future. Of course, the churches took everything literally in material terms and created a religion around it. The basis of the religion is that Jesus was the son of God, when in fact the teachings were that we are all sons and daughters of God.

Likewise with your reference to Genesis I - Genesis is not about the creation of the physical world but rather the Astral worlds, and again it is heavily symbolic as is another account the Sephir Yetzirah.

With best regards,

Adrian.

Hephaestus · July 24, 2003, 11:01:39

quote:
Originally posted by Adrian

Greetings,

quote:
Originally posted by dino333

I guess if anyone had a lot of time they could project into real-time and try to fly to the edge of the universe, to see if it really is infinite, and, if it isn't, what's on the other side.

Robert has already tried that and gave up after a while. Even travelling at phenomenal speed he kept on passing galaxies and star systems all the time until he concluded he wasn't going to reach the edge of the universe.

With best regards,

Adrian.

Why did he not simply 'will' himself to the edge of the universe?
As for the giving up part, i'd keep going even if I got bored or it, always best to press on.

beavis · July 24, 2003, 12:14:27

Spacetime (not the universe) could have all opposite ends connected and have lots of curves so it looks infinite. Some of the stars we see at night could be our sun.

jilola · July 24, 2003, 12:22:32

[

] Beavis.
During most of the summer in these parts there's only one visible star at night. The Sun.

I read once that withthe naked eye one can count around 3000-4000 stars.

2cents & L&L
jouni

Adrian · July 24, 2003, 15:08:53

Greetings Hephaestus,

quote:
Originally posted by Hephaestus
Why did he not simply 'will' himself to the edge of the universe?
As for the giving up part, i'd keep going even if I got bored or it, always best to press on.

Because the physical universe is infinite, and infinity does not have a finite beginning or end.

Scientists look at the physical universe in three dimensions, but the physical universe descended from the Mental and then Astral planes (having first descended from The All, the Ether), where space-time does not exist. Trying to locate the origin of the so called "big bang" is therefore impossible.

With best regards,

Adrian.

Hephaestus · July 24, 2003, 15:10:02

quote:
Originally posted by beavis

Spacetime (not the universe) could have all opposite ends connected and have lots of curves so it looks infinite. Some of the stars we see at night could be our sun.

Ah yes, the theory that the universe could be like a planet, although it may appear flat so to speak and there could be an edge, it is actually like a sphere - if you continue to the outer edge of the universe as far as you can you end up back where you started as though you've gone in a circle. But then if that is so, wherever we begin our journey, that is also the otherside of the universe - so we are already at the beginning and end (the alpha and the omega) of the universe.
I rather like that theory.

I think thats the theory which also explains the hypothetical wormhole. If the universe is like a sphere, then rather than travel the entire surface of the sphere merely puncture a hole through its centre straight to the otherside.

God I love all this scientific stuff. [

]

strwrs_guru · July 24, 2003, 19:49:03

adrian.......i like your thoughts on the bible.....any suggestions on where i could research that train of thought?

and also to hephaestus........that theory is very cool....also any links or anything so i could read up on that?

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Number of stars in known universe

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