How fast are we moving?

[Luke]

While I might not agree with Morgan Freemans politics, I enjoy the Science Channel show "through the wormhole" because it forces me to think.

I haven't quite grasp the concept of the "big bang"theory, mostly because I don't seem to have enough brain cells to imagine what/how could have been before the event. If it is true that all the universe is expanding/moving, are we caught in the flow so to speak. Besides rotating on its axis and orbiting the sun, is the earth flying through the universe? If so how fast are we moving?

Also if the universe is expanding, why is it that the "space" between the stars doesn't seem to have changed in my nearly 6 decades on the planet?

Inquiring minds want to know, hopefully my curiosity does not lead to the same fate as the Schrodingers cat?

[New Guy]

i think because most of the stars you are able to see are in the galaxy, which is moving at the same speed as an entity (inertia-like)

the stars will change position over time though due to the rotation of the sun around the galactic core.

[American Patriot]

While I might not agree with Morgan Freemans politics, I enjoy the Science Channel show "through the wormhole" because it forces me to think.

I haven't quite grasp the concept of the "big bang"theory, mostly because I don't seem to have enough brain cells to imagine what/how could have been before the event. If it is true that all the universe is expanding/moving, are we caught in the flow so to speak. Besides rotating on its axis and orbiting the sun, is the earth flying through the universe? If so how fast are we moving?

Also if the universe is expanding, why is it that the "space" between the stars doesn't seem to have changed in my nearly 6 decades on the planet?

Inquiring minds want to know, hopefully my curiosity does not lead to the same fate as the Schrodingers cat?

The Earth orbits the sun at roughly 66,000 mph.

The sun orbits the Galactic Center at roughly 200 million years. We are 26,000 light years from the center of the Galaxy. So... about 490,000 miles per hour around the center of the galaxy. The Galaxy (and several other galaxies near by, known as "The Local Group" are moving away from the theoretical "Big Bang Center" at about 1000 km/s (or 1000 km/s = 2,236,936.29 mph)

Space is "expanding" but the distance isn't really "further away". Not sure I can explain this very well, but things like "special relativity" probably play a part. Basically, though the universe is expanding and indeed things are getting further apart, as space itself expands physics also changes it seems - so the physical movement of the stars is happening and that is what we see. We don't see the "expansion" in terms of distance but rather gravitation weakening the way I understand it.

To me... it's irrelevant and insignificant because as you said, in your nearly 6 decades on the planet things haven't "changed very much" because astronomically speaking, things haven't changed much. lol

But some things can be "seen" not so much with the naked eye, but certainly by fine measurements, you can see the changes in your lifetime of stars. Some stars are moving fast enough to have an observable difference in 10 - 100 years.

[American Patriot]

Luke, check this out:
http://starryskies.com/articles/2007...rth-speed.html

[American Patriot]

lol

[Luke]

Ms. Luke is a Leo, we are headed toward the constellation Leo,,,,,,,,,,,hmmm??

Space may be the final frontier for Trekkers, comprehending space will probably be the final frontier for me.

Thanks for the answers friends.

[Malsua]

The big bang is easy to explain if you are a 5th dimensional being.

Our entire universe and all of time is but 1 infinitesimally small point in the 5th dimension.

As 4th dimensional beings, it's beyond our comprehension just as the 3rd dimension would be incomprehensible to a 2nd dimensional being.

[American Patriot]

The big bang is easy to explain if you are a 5th dimensional being.

Our entire universe and all of time is but 1 infinitesimally small point in the 5th dimension.

As 4th dimensional beings, it's beyond our comprehension just as the 3rd dimension would be incomprehensible to a 2nd dimensional being.

So.. basically, these five people grasp this. The rest of us are flatlanders...


The 5th Dimension. From left: Townson, LaRue, Davis, McCoo, and McLemore.

[Luke]

So the big bang was caused by a beautiful,beautiful balloon?

[American Patriot]

/chuckles

It didn't make it too far I reckon.