by Ann » Sun Dec 04, 2022 7:11 am
This video is an oldie but goodie. (I remember being absolutely mesmerized by it way back when.)
But the video
is old, 45 years old. Let's provide a few updates and start with the shape of the Milky Way, which is of course a barred galaxy:
Our barred spiral galaxy, the Milky Way. The image is based on a radio map
of the distribution of atomic hydrogen in our galaxy. Image: Kevins Jardine.
I like Kevin Jardine's portrait, where the Milky Way doesn't look so perfectly regular is shape, as if someone had drawn the arms of our galaxy with a
compass drawing tool. Galaxies are not shaped like that!
As for the distribution of galaxies on a large scale in the Universe, they are arranged in a cosmic web with filaments and voids and nodes with high concentrations of galaxies.
If we zoom out as far back as we can go in the history of the Universe, we will eventually encounter the cosmic microwave background, the CMB:
The CMB is the earliest possible picture of our Universe.
Finally, zooming in again, we will encounter the quantum world of atoms (and other stuff). I like this short video:
Click to play embedded YouTube video.
So there you have it, Powers of Ten with a few updates!
Ann
This video is an oldie but goodie. (I remember being absolutely mesmerized by it way back when.)
But the video [b][i]is[/i][/b] old, 45 years old. Let's provide a few updates and start with the shape of the Milky Way, which is of course a barred galaxy:
[float=left][attachment=0]Face on Milky Way from atomic hydrogen Kevin Jardine.png[/attachment][c][size=85][color=#0040FF]Our barred spiral galaxy, the Milky Way. The image is based on a radio map
of the distribution of atomic hydrogen in our galaxy. Image: Kevins Jardine.[/color][/size][/c][/float]
[clear][/clear]
I like Kevin Jardine's portrait, where the Milky Way doesn't look so perfectly regular is shape, as if someone had drawn the arms of our galaxy with a [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compass_(drawing_tool)#/media/File:IMB_DQj3Fs.gif]compass drawing tool[/url]. Galaxies are not shaped like that!
As for the distribution of galaxies on a large scale in the Universe, they are arranged in a cosmic web with filaments and voids and nodes with high concentrations of galaxies.
[img3="The cosmic web. Unknown author."]https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0f/Cosmic_web.jpg[/img3]
If we zoom out as far back as we can go in the history of the Universe, we will eventually encounter the cosmic microwave background, the CMB:
[img3="The CMB. Image: NASA / WMAP Science Team"]https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3c/Ilc_9yr_moll4096.png/640px-Ilc_9yr_moll4096.png[/img3]
The CMB is the earliest possible picture of our Universe.
Finally, zooming in again, we will encounter the quantum world of atoms (and other stuff). I like this short video:
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2Xb2GFK2yc[/youtube]
So there you have it, Powers of Ten with a few updates! :D
Ann