Galaxies Beyond Human Comprehension (no, it's not a picture of static...)

[The Straight Story]

Galaxies Beyond Human Comprehension



Thousands of galaxies crowd into this Herschel image of the distant Universe. Each dot is an entire galaxy containing billions of stars. For more than a decade, astronomers have puzzled over strangely bright galaxies in the distant Universe. These ‘luminous infrared galaxies’ appear to be creating stars at such phenomenal rates that they defy conventional theories of galaxy formation.

ESA’s Herschel infrared space observatory, with its ability for very sensitive mapping over wide areas, has seen thousands of these galaxies and pinpointed their locations, showing for the first time that they are packing themselves closely together, forming large clusters of galaxies by the force of their mutual gravity.


http://tinyurl.com/2fo39ga

[old mark]

1. K&R....thanks!

[xchrom]

2. wow! nt

[paparush]

3. Reading Stephen Baxter's "Manifold Time"

There's one great passage describing how future generations migrate to the stars then basically harvest the energy of the cosmos: farming stars, manipulating black holes, etc.

Great read.

[WhiteTara]

6. wasn't that a Larry Niven novel? n/t

[paparush]

16. Hi. No, it's Baxter. I have it in my hand right now.

Followed by "Manifold Space" and "Manifold Origin"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manifold:_Time

[WhiteTara]

17. LOL. I didn't look at the title

I only read about the story line which reminded me of Larry Niven and The Mote in God's Eye. But of course, you're read Baxter!
:hi:

[mistertrickster]

40. Jerry Pournelle (and Larry Niven) explored ideas like terraforming Mars

and asteroid mining.

Great books.

[Brooklyns_Finest]

32. Baxter

Nice coincidence that you bring up Stephen Baxter's work. I am currently reading "Vacuum Diagrams" which is part of the Xeelee sequence. Damn these Brits and their pessimistic views of the world and the future of the human race! Then again, he does have humanity surviving 10 million years in to the future of this universe and who knows how long we survive in the other universe.....

[Occulus]

69. Ah, the "Manifold" set. Excellent choice.

I voraciously devoured all three books in the series. I should note that you don't have to read them in any particular order; they each stand alone and apart from one another as complete works in and of themselves. Different universes, same characters. Lovely.

His ideas are breathtaking: the Gaijin. The Saddle Points. Reid Malenfant's relationship with Nemoto (the entire treatment of their interactions across space and time and multiple realities was just perfect). His reasoning why FTL travel never appeared. What the colonists of the Moon had to eat to save themselves, and why... and I can't forget the primitive village with the natural nuclear power heap! I loved that bit. And on and on.

Having read all three of these books, I can say with confidence that I didn't spoil anything just now. He delves deeply into each of the subjects I just listed, and the details he includes make it not only believable, but plausible. That's quite the feat when you're talking about the concepts in these novels!

They're very, very well-done examples of science fiction and I highly recommend them to all fans of the genre. These three books actually make you think about what's going on, and somehow manage to keep your attention absolutely riveted on the story that's unfolding. These three books are, without a doubt, sheer genius... and I would go so far as to put him in the same class as Asimov and Clarke. His writing really is just that good.

Another science fiction novel I must recommend to you is Kay Kenyon's The Braided World. It's very character-driven, but it has to be; the concepts she explores are integral to the lives of the subjects and disturbing to us (but perfectly normal to them) on a very fundamental level. When you're done with Manifold, you ought to give that one a try. It's very unique, but quite satisfying.

[JerseygirlCT]

71. Oh that was fun!

I agree - great read!

[DCBob]

4. Maybe these areas initially had more dense gases..

which resulted in galaxies forming more rapidly and closer together.

[FSogol]

5. That picture really needs a "You Are Here" arrow. n/t

[Motown_Johnny]

8. we are behind the camera

I know you were joking... so am I (kinda)

[pipi_k]

20. But what if...

the universe turns on itself and we're really looking at our own part of space from a timeframe of billions of years ago?

sort of like looking straight ahead and being able to see the back of one's own head, I guess...



OK I have to stop now. Such things make my brain get all weird and shit.


:freak:

[Motown_Johnny]

38. all current indications are that space is "flat"

and if so then what you suggest isn't possible

[Hannah Bell]

47. what does "flat" mean?

[tekisui]

60. Watch this video for the explanation.

I will butcher it if I try:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLD7iSq70KQ

[Hannah Bell]

62. thanks.

[Motown_Johnny]

63. not curved

[Hannah Bell]

64. yes, i understand what flat means. i don't understand what "flat" means.

[Motown_Johnny]

70. 3 dimensionally "flat" as opposed to the usual 2 dimensional definition

[fishbulb703]

72. actually all current indications are space is positive

[Javaman]

7. But but but...

we are still unique and the lone creation of a invisible bearded guy in the sky!!!

In the face of irrefutable evidence the right wing fundies head explodes.

[timtom]

9. "invisible bearded guy in the sky"

If he's invisible, how do you know he has a beard?

[Javaman]

11. that is a question I ask the fundies...

they claim to "just know".

For that matter, how do they know it's a guy?

[A Simple Game]

26. Of course they know!! I saw the same documentary that they did.

And he is only invisible when he wants to be.

Oh, I almost forgot, when he is visible, he looks just like George Burns used to.

[Statistical]

23. He's not invisible, his beard is invisible.

When he doesn't want you to see him he hides behind his beard.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

14. irrefutable evidence of what?

that the Universe is really big? that there are loads of galaxies out there?

sP

[harun]

45. No kidding, his argument is weaker than the freep's.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

51. well, i am not even sure what the argument IS

there IS irrefutable evidence that the universe is massive beyond comprehension. but most of the christians and/or freeper-types i know have no problem with this and see the wonder of the Universe as a testament to God's majesty. i am also unaware of any place in the Bible that claims there is no other life anywhere beside Earth...nor that it should be a problem if there IS other life.

now, the young Universe/creationist set...yes, THEY indeed cannot seem to fathom the concept Javaman is talking about here. they are, however, and extremely small percentage of aforementioned groups.

creationists, as the term is used on DU, has as very small and narrow definition...many times referring to people who believe the Universe is only 6000 some-odd years old and that dinosaurs and man roamed the earth together. however, there are many people who consider themselves 'creationist' who simply believe that the Universe was CREATED by God, through the power of His Word, and yet they do not put a timestamp on the act of creation and have no issue with the multi-billion year old Universe.

sP

[Ilsa]

25. Husband was telling me why some scientists believe we are the only intelligent life

out there:

Because as intelligent as we are, we seem to be he'll-bent on destroying ourselves either through geopolitics or destruction of our mother-earth and resources. Any life form more advanced would have already destroyed itself with its selfishness.

Of course, I keep wondering if it is possible for another world to more quickly learn from its mistakes.

Great picture. Mind-boggling numbers and possibilities.

[gtar100]

53. One less predisposed to so much violence might make it.

Or where the shooters all missed JFK, MLK and RFK. Might have been a very different world here.

But the possibilities are staggering, aren't they.

[Brooklyns_Finest]

50. Funny

Most Christians I know (which is most of my family, including myself to a lesser degree) believe that the scope of the universe and its endless possibility is a testament to the power of god (however he/she/it looks like).

I truly believe that if Alien life would appear to us today, it would not change the fundamental belief systems of most religious people. If anything, in the short term, you would have MORE people going to church/synagogue/mosque, etc.

[WinkyDink]

56. I don't think you need to claim a belief in God is the sole province of "right wing fundies".

[kgnu_fan]

10. It makes me feel comforted, our earthly stupidity is so insignificant

[bemildred]

12. That really puts things in perspective. nt

[MrScorpio]

13. … And yet in spite of all of this, God loves only us.

Aren't we so lucky?

[pipi_k]

24. And he REALLY REALLY

loves only some of us...

[COLGATE4]

42. Yes - just you and me (and I'm not so sure about you)...

[tridim]

37. I'm baffled that his book didn't mention anything about the billions of dots in that image.

What an asshole.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

15. The only reason we believe that we're "special" is because we tell ourselves we are.

[originalpckelly]

18. Oh I tend to think we are special...

just not like we want to be. :P

[woo me with science]

19. It's so beautiful. nt

[Warren DeMontague]

21. Cool!

For anyone interested in science and cosmology, this is a great time to be alive. We are increasing our knowledge of the universe at an exponential rate. When the James Webb Space Telescope goes up, it'll get even better.

[LongTomH]

22. Please crosspost to the Science forum!

nft

[WillyT]

27. I LOVE Stuff Like This !!! - K & R !!!

:bounce::woohoo::bounce:

:smoke:

:evilgrin:

:hi:

[denem]

28. Sarah saw them first.

[greytdemocrat]

29. Amazing Pic

Anyone who thinks we're alone is a complete fool.

[Fumesucker]

30. My God, it's full of stars... err... ... galaxies.

[Capitalocracy]

46. that's so freakin' hilarious

and a good picture too... I'm sure Kubrick would love it

[Rex]

31. So that is what God looks like.

Thanks Herschel.

[fascisthunter]

33. now just think of how small we all are

yes, those of you in high positions are just as small.

[coalition_unwilling]

41. A passage from Dickens' "Great Expectations" comes to mind:

"And then I looked at the stars, and considered how awful if would be for a man to turn his face up to them as he froze to death, and see no help or pity in all the glittering multitude."

[Moonwalk]

44. Poor Dickens. To look at the stars and see only that. How sad and unimaginative....

Were I to know I was passing away and that the last sight I had was of the stars, I would, I believe, think myself lucky, and that I was being both helped and pitied. For here I was being given not only the most beautiful thing to look at in my last moments, but also that which could promise me a universe, rich, amazing, vibrant--the alpha and omega of all--continuing on after I was gone. What greater mercy can anyone hope for than to know that?

And what greater wish could anyone have then to pass away with the hope, the dream, that if we can rise out of our bodies and live on, that we might soar up and travel to those stars?

Dickens was a great writer, and his observations can be keen, even accurate as I'm sure many people feel this way. But this particular observation makes me shake my head and sigh for both author and humankind. If less people felt like this quote, and more like me when they gazed up at the stars, we'd be out among those stars now rather than still standing on this rock staring up at them, weeping in fear because we want a universe that "cares" rather than a universe that challenges and inspires.

[Hannah Bell]

48. i guess if you're imagining the poor of victorian london dying homeless & hungry it's not so unima-

ginative.

i doubt i'd be thinking about the glories of the stars if i was dying outside in a london winter.

[coalition_unwilling]

58. Actually, the passage in question is told by the narrator Pip (a very young boy) who

is imagining what the escaped convict Magwich must be feeling out on the marshes.

[Hannah Bell]

65. same difference. dicken's primary subject = the underclasses of the most powerful

country in the world.

[Taverner]

34. THIS. IS. AWESOME.!.

Truly awe some

[Electric Monk]

35. I see a piece of toast.

Yumm, toast :)

[IDemo]

36. A terrific video along the same lines, for those who haven't seen it

Don't know which image contains more galaxies, Herschel or Hubble. Both are enough to humble anyone (or, should be).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcBV-cXVWFw

[devils chaplain]

39. Wow...

... Look at all this unnecessary stuff that surrounds our 4,000 year old planet -- the most special place in the whole universe!

[TalkingDog]

43. Puts things in perspective

Remember, the next time you are feeling awful about your crappy life: Each of the dots here is an ENTIRE GALAXY containing billions of stars. And each star has dozens of planets. And on a fair number of those planets there is sentient life. And somewhere in the midst of those billions and billions of points of consciousness, somebody, somewhere is having a life that's just as crappy.

[Phlem]

49. Makes you wonder what else is

"Beyond Human Comprehension". Me suspects everything, but not saying it's improbable.

-p

[OneGrassRoot]

52. I'm with you. "beyond human comprehension" says it all.

K&R!

:hi:

[Desertrose]

67. Ditto that OGR.

:hug:

[NYC Liberal]

54. Very obligatory "Pale Blue Dot" by Carl Sagan:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p86BPM1GV8M


Consider again that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every "superstar", every "supreme leader", every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there - on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.

The Earth is a very small stage in a vast cosmic arena. Think of the rivers of blood spilled by all those generals and emperors so that, in glory and triumph, they could become the momentary masters of a fraction of a dot. Think of the endless cruelties visited by the inhabitants of one corner of this pixel on the scarcely distinguishable inhabitants of some other corner, how frequent their misunderstandings, how eager they are to kill one another, how fervent their hatreds.

Our posturings, our imagined self-importance, the delusion that we have some privileged position in the Universe:, are challenged by this point of pale light. Our planet is a lonely speck in the great enveloping cosmic dark. In our obscurity, in all this vastness, there is no hint that help will come from elsewhere to save us from ourselves.

[Joanne98]

55. I thought the galaxies were moving away from each other.

[ldf]

57. infinity

that is the concept we can't quite wrap our brains around. but it is pure logic.

if we had a telescope powerful enough to pinpoint one tiny area of black in this photo, and enlarge it, we would see the same thing again. that is what astronomers continue to find everytime the technology allows.

space and time are infinite. they don't start, or stop.

since space is infinite, the universe (all that we can see) is nothing more than one of an infinite number of clusters of cosmic debris that goes through natural cycles.

there it is again, that "infinite" thing... since space is so big, it is completely logical.

since time doesn't start or stop, this "universe" (or cosmic cluster) will live out its natural course, while an infinite number of others will continue all around, living out the same natural course... to infinity.

so we must make up myths and fairy tales to explain our pathetic existence.

and our particular brand of sickness (although it was possibly just rearrangements of past myths) began with a family wanting to keep a record of their history, the family being of primary importance, this family wanting to believe it was better than the rest, becoming perverted into being the "chosen" ones. it worked so well as a theme of specialness, granting incredible control over the members, that it had to be expanded to include everyone, so EVERYONE could be controlled.

THAT has worked rather well, don't you think?

but the bottom line is that it is all crap.

so the reality that we have difficulty in comprehending is that all of us will cease to exist. everyone who knew us will cease to exist. all record of our existence will eventually cease to exist.

it will be as if we never existed.

THAT, we can't handle.

but that is just my take on things. your mileage may vary.

[Quantess]

59. Perfect for New Year's Eve.

[alfredo]

61. Larger image

Click on the image at this link. Then click on the image again and it will expand further.

http://www.lastwordonnothing.com/2010/05/28/every-dot-is-a-galaxy/

[Desertrose]

66. Sweet! THX.

[alfredo]

68. No problem. I wanted to see a larger image, so I found it

and posted so others could see it.