90% of the Universe Found Hiding In Plain View 279
The Bad Astronomer writes "As much as 90% of previously hidden galaxies in the distant Universe have been found by astronomers using the Very Large Telescope in Chile. Previous surveys had looked for distant (10 billion light years away) galaxies by searching in a wavelength of ultraviolet light emitted by hydrogen atoms — distant young galaxies should be blasting out this light, but very few were detected. The problem is that the ultraviolet light never gets out of the galaxies, so we never see them. In this new study, astronomers searched a different wavelength emitted by hydrogen, and voila, ten times as many galaxies could be seen, meaning 90% of them had been missed before."
I Smell Another Apple Ad (Score:5, Interesting)
Someone update the Drake Equation! (Score:5, Interesting)
Since we just got a 10 fold increase in galaxies.
I think that moves us from 0.006 to 0.06, (plus one obviously)
Re:I Smell Another Apple Ad (Score:4, Interesting)
And how do they know that they've found 90% of what was previously hidden?
Maybe there's more hidden than they thought was hidden.
Is the size of the universe so widely agreed-upon? Far be it from me to challenge a headline in Science, but I'm just a little curious about this assertion.
What's at the end of the Universe? (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:I Smell Another Apple Ad (Score:3, Interesting)
If one of the theories concerning the universe holds true about the size and how it works, looking at one point can cause visual feedback.
The theory is that if you go straight with a velocity with no force ever effecting you you would return to your previous point eventually. In short the universe is curved into itself and like on a planet traveling in 1 direction on the planet returns you to your starting point.
If you look at one point in the universe I would not be surprised if you saw galaxies and objects that are behind you, as well as repeats of galaxies in front of you!
Re:Implications for dark matter estimates? (Score:3, Interesting)
90% of the matter in the Universe is in a form that emits no light, but affects other matter through gravity.
Do we know for certain that the "dark matter" itself - whatever it proves to be - is actually in our universe? Is it possible that "dark matter" is just regular matter in some other universe(s) whose gravity is bleeding into our own?