Edward Gomez, an astrophysicist and education director at Las Cumbres Observatory, attributes the universe’s continuous movement to the Big Bang.This monumental explosion triggered the rapid expansion of the universe from a singular, infinitely dense point, ultimately giving rise to all cosmic structures observed today.
Carol Christian, an astrophysicist and outreach project scientist for the Hubble Space Telescope, highlights that the universe’s expansion established a precedent for movement. She notes, “The beginning was movement, and so movement has been built into the universe from the very beginning.”
The universe’s expansion primarily affects vast distances. Gomez explains, “It’s not that objects are moving through space; rather, the space between them is increasing.” This expansion is most noticeable on the largest cosmic scales.
Angular momentum and cosmic rotation
Angular momentum is crucial to cosmic rotation. When two objects in space come close together, their mutual gravity pulls them towards each other. If they do not collide or drift apart, they usually orbit each other. This principle applies to everything from minuscule mineral grains to enormous galaxies.
Gomez compares the formation of the solar system to “a pizza dough being spun.” He explains that angular momentum caused the gas and dust to flatten into a disc, which led to the formation of planets orbiting the sun.
Galaxies and dark matter
Galaxies, similar to the solar system, also exhibit rotational characteristics but with unique attributes. Gomez describes that galaxies spin as if they were solid discs, but observations reveal that stars farther from the centre rotate at the same rate as those closer to the core. This anomaly suggests the presence of dark matter, which, although invisible, exerts gravitational influence on galaxies.
Dark matter, which does not emit light and remains invisible to telescopes, still interacts with visible matter through gravity. It plays a significant role in cosmic motion by influencing the rotation of galaxies and other celestial bodies.
Motion as a fundamental universal feature
In conclusion, motion is a fundamental aspect of the universe. As Gomez states, “Motion demonstrates that the universe is dynamic.” It reflects ongoing chemical and physical processes, all of which require energy, with motion being the most basic form of that energy.
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