Posted on 04/09/2018 7:06:43 AM PDT by Simon Green
When the Hubble Space Telescope took a photo of distant galaxy cluster SDSS J0146-0929, it was able to capture an immensely massive blanket of hundreds of galaxies caught in each other's gravitational pulls.
In the photo, they look no more than inconsequential space dust: tiny, motionless, and remote.
But in fact, the combined mass of these galaxies is so great that it causes a distortion in the fabric of space and time. That is represented by a glowing ring in the center of the image, which is actually a phenomenon called gravitational lensing. The circle of light, called the "Einstein ring," occurs when light from a background galaxy is diverted and distorted around the massive intervening cluster, which makes it seem that a galaxy is in multiple places at once.
Gravitational Lensing
Like the many enigmatic occurrences in our universe, gravitational lensing sounds complicated, but it's actually pretty simple to explain. What happens is that when light passes through a dense object with a massive gravitational pull, that object is able to distort the path of light. Because the light is forced to take a path other than a straight line, it circles around the galaxy as it's influenced by massive gravitational forces, creating the Einstein ring seen in the photo above.
"The mass of this galaxy cluster is large enough to severely distort the spacetime around it, creating the odd, looping curves that almost encircle the cluster," reads the Hubble Telescope's press accompanying post.
Bear in mind that the galaxy pictured above isn't really in multiple places at one — it just seems that way because of the light being altered and distorted by massive forces. As such, the Einstein ring looks somewhat like a ring with multiple copies of a galaxy around it.
Gravitational lensing can also sometimes magnify faraway objects in the universe, letting scientists and astronomers get more up-close views at space phenomena such as stars and galaxies, especially the more distant ones.
Gravitational Lensing And Einstein
Gravitational lensing is rooted in Einstein's Theory of General Relativity, hence why the resulting light effect is named after him.
"Hubble's sensitivity and high resolution allow it to see faint and distant gravitational lenses that cannot be detected with ground-based telescopes whose images are blurred by the Earth's atmosphere," according to the Hubble Space Telescope's website. "The gravitational lensing results in multiple images of the original galaxy each with a characteristically distorted banana-like shape or even into rings."
Welcome to Quantum Theory.
First off, for it to be accurate the observer would have to be located in a NON MOVING SPOT. There is no such place in the Universe. Or perhaps, to be more clear, one cannot find such a spot as there is no 'reference' point to determine whether one is moving or not.
Movement is relative to the observer. Quantum Theory/Mechanics/Gravity is beginning to work this theory that time is divorced from space when at high velocity/power/gravity. Lots of room for growth.
Second, the theory depends on there only being one observer. Two different observers would obtain two different timelines.
ibid.
Einstein theorized that it was possible in his Theory of Relativity and it was proven in General Relativity.
If you accept Einstein's theory, then time can be 'distorted'. Of course, it is only distorted (according to an earlier post) to the OBSERVER and not the OBSERVED. Which would mean It WAS distorted and AT THE SAME TIME was NOT DISTORTED.
Newton said time was constant. Einstein said: "Hold my beer." and ToR/GR allegedly proved that time was distortable. Quantum Theory says: "Not so fast, Al."
Kinda like Quantum Theory. It is and it is not.
Such is the realm of science. Constantly changing, being challenged, modifying, revealing, and challenged all over again. Somehow, I believe they all are correct and incorrect.
Kinda like Schrodinger's theoretical cat.
*** “Time is relative. And so is distortion” ***
Ask Algore, he agrees (but he says Climate isn’t)
You bet.
Is there any proof it is becoming less "dense" ?
As space expands, the average "density" of the universe goes down, obviously.
I was talking about the mass of the Universe expanding, which may not even be true.
You said 'space' expands. If it expands, what is it expanding into, and how would you go about measuring that ?
If you and I were to stand back to back for a duel, and then walk away from each other, is "space" expanding between us, or are we just moving away from each other "in space" ? Is the space between us less dense, more dense, or the same ?
Yes. The expansion of the universe is extremely well documented. BTW, the average density of the universe is roughly 5.9 protons per cubic meter. This does not take dark matter or dark energy into account, mind you.
I was talking about the mass of the Universe expanding, which may not even be true
The mass of the universe is not increasing.
You said 'space' expands. If it expands, what is it expanding into, and how would you go about measuring that ?
It's not expanding "into" anything.
https://www.universetoday.com/1455/podcast-what-is-the-universe-expanding-into/
BTW, the average density of the universe is roughly 5.9 protons per cubic meter.
Where was that measurement taken ?
The mass of the universe is not increasing. How would we know whether it was or not ? We don't even know how 'big' it is, or if it is infinite.
It's not expanding "into" anything.
To help clarify, you are using 'space' and 'universe' interchangeably, correct ?
If we eliminate the observer, then TIME STANDS STILL.
If we eliminate the observer, time ceases to exist!
The mass of the universe is not increasing.
How would we know whether it was or not ? We don't even know how 'big' it is, or if it is infinite.
Time always slows down when you're waiting in line for the restroom.......
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