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The Big Bang: Light, Matter and
Darkness
The Big Bang: Light, Matter and
Darkness
SOAR Fall 2004SOAR Fall 2004
In the Beginning …In the Beginning …
At t = 0 seconds Time began Space began Universe began
At t = 0 seconds Time began Space began Universe began
What DO we know? All galaxies are moving away from us More distant galaxies moving away faster Entire universe glows in microwaves
What DO we know? All galaxies are moving away from us More distant galaxies moving away faster Entire universe glows in microwaves
In the Beginning …In the Beginning … What DO we know?
All galaxies are moving away from us More distant galaxies moving away faster
What DO we know? All galaxies are moving away from us More distant galaxies moving away faster
-1 0 21 3
-2 -1 10 2 3 4 65
Radio Raisin Moves at 3 m/s
Singing Raisin Moves
at 1 m/s
California Raisin CosmologyCalifornia Raisin Cosmology
Distances Double in 1 sec
Raisins separated by
meters
In the Beginning …In the Beginning … Expansion of the Universe
All galaxies are moving away from us More distant galaxies moving away faster
Expansion of the Universe All galaxies are moving away from us More distant galaxies moving away faster
… The universe is like a raisin bread!… The universe is like a raisin bread!
Raisins move with dough, not through it.
Galaxies move with space, not through it!
In the Beginning …In the Beginning …
Current Cosmological Theory Use equations to “run time backwards”
o Universe gets smaller, denser, hottero Can go back to 10-43 sec after Big Bang
Observations support Theory Early universe is glowing ball of energy
seen as Cosmic Microwave Background
Current Cosmological Theory Use equations to “run time backwards”
o Universe gets smaller, denser, hottero Can go back to 10-43 sec after Big Bang
Observations support Theory Early universe is glowing ball of energy
seen as Cosmic Microwave Background
… So what have we learned?… So what have we learned?
In The Beginning There Was …In The Beginning There Was …
LIGHTLIGHT
At t=10-43 Seconds There Was …
At t=10-43 Seconds There Was …
The Expansion of the UniverseThe Expansion of the UniverseAfter 10-43 seconds
Time and Space began expanding
The Universe contained Time, Space & Energy
After 10-43 seconds
Time and Space began expanding
The Universe contained Time, Space & Energy
The energy was in the
form of electromagnetic radiation
…light
The energy was in the
form of electromagnetic radiation
…light
The Nature of LightThe Nature of LightLight is an electromagnetic wave…Light is an electromagnetic wave…
Light Interacts As A WaveLight Interacts As A Wave
Light shows interference (addition of waves)
and diffraction (bending around
corners) like water waves.
Light shows interference (addition of waves)
and diffraction (bending around
corners) like water waves.
But that’s not ALL light is …But that’s not ALL light is …
Light Interacts As A Particle
Light Interacts As A ParticleLight pushes dust out of the solar system
like a stream of particles.
Light pushes dust out of the solar system
like a stream of particles.
Hale-Bopp APOD 4/1/97
Ion tail shaped by solar magnetic field.Ion tail shaped by
solar magnetic field.
Dust tail shaped by sunlight pushing
dust away from the sun.
Dust tail shaped by sunlight pushing
dust away from the sun.
Wave-Particle DualityWave-Particle Duality
Light is a wave AND a particle! Exists as both natures …
until it interacts with matter.
Manifests one nature
appropriate to the interaction.
o Becomes a particle hitting comet dust.
o Becomes a wave passing through a slit.
Light is a wave AND a particle! Exists as both natures …
until it interacts with matter.
Manifests one nature
appropriate to the interaction.
o Becomes a particle hitting comet dust.
o Becomes a wave passing through a slit.How can it be BOTH at ONCE?
We don’t know … but it is!How can it be BOTH at ONCE?
We don’t know … but it is!
Wave-Particle DualityWave-Particle Duality
“The essential marvel of the divine milieu is the ease with which it assembles and
harmonizes within itself qualities which appear to us
to be contradictory.”
Teilhard de Chardin
The Divine Milieu
“The essential marvel of the divine milieu is the ease with which it assembles and
harmonizes within itself qualities which appear to us
to be contradictory.”
Teilhard de Chardin
The Divine Milieu
The Structure Of MatterThe Structure Of MatterMatter at the Subatomic ScaleMatter at the Subatomic Scale
Protons & Neutrons in Nucleus are made of Quarks held together dynamically by the exchange of gluons.
Protons & Neutrons in Nucleus are made of Quarks held together dynamically by the exchange of gluons.
Gluons are active, like springs.
Gluons are active, like springs.
Quarks: Fundamental Constituents of MatterQuarks: Fundamental Constituents of Matter
Quarks cannot exist alone Carry 1/3 of an electric charge Decay if alone Exist only in relationship to other quarks
to create protons, neutrons, atoms,
… all matter
Quarks cannot exist alone Carry 1/3 of an electric charge Decay if alone Exist only in relationship to other quarks
to create protons, neutrons, atoms,
… all matter
All matter, at its most fundamental level, must
exist in relationship to exist at all!
All matter, at its most fundamental level, must
exist in relationship to exist at all!
The Expansion of the UniverseThe Expansion of the UniverseThe universe cooled as it expanded
Particles “condensed” out of the light Light & Matter are the same stuff …
The universe cooled as it expanded Particles “condensed” out of the light Light & Matter are the same stuff …
E=mc2E=mc2
Energy
Energy isis
MatterMatter
Light becomes
Particles …
Particles become Light
All matter is frozen energy!All matter is frozen energy!
The Early UniverseThe Early UniverseUniverse was a sea of light and particles
Protons, neutrons, electrons …
Universe was uniformly bright
Light coming from reactions everywhere …
The universe was opaque
Universe was a sea of light and particles
Protons, neutrons, electrons …
Universe was uniformly bright
Light coming from reactions everywhere …
The universe was opaque
After a few hundred thousand years of cooling, atoms began to
form …
After a few hundred thousand years of cooling, atoms began to
form …
AtomsAtomsNucleus of Protons (+) and Neutrons
(0)
Surrounding cloud of Electrons (-)
Nucleus of Protons (+) and Neutrons (0)
Surrounding cloud of Electrons (-)Electrons’ “orbits”
or “clouds” determined by their
energy
Electrons’ “orbits” or “clouds”
determined by their energy
Atoms & LightAtoms & LightAtoms Absorb and Emit Light
To change electron energy Light energy = energy change
Atoms Absorb and Emit Light To change electron energy
Light energy = energy change
Not all light can interact with every atomNot all light can interact with every atom
Atoms & LightAtoms & LightEach element emits & absorbs a unique spectrumEach element emits & absorbs a unique spectrum
Balmer Spectrum of Hydrogen
Balmer Spectrum of Hydrogen
Lyman Spectrum of Hydrogen in Ultraviolet
Lyman Spectrum of Hydrogen in Ultraviolet
Red in astronomical images is Balmer
Alpha
Red in astronomical images is Balmer
Alpha
The First NightThe First Night
Atoms of Hydrogen (75%) and Helium (25%)
Absorbed some light
Most light traveled freely without interacting with
any matter.
Universe became transparent
Atoms of Hydrogen (75%) and Helium (25%)
Absorbed some light
Most light traveled freely without interacting with
any matter.
Universe became transparent
300,000 years after the Big Bang …
300,000 years after the Big Bang …
…darkness fell for the first time.…darkness fell for the first time.
The Cosmos’ Gift of DarknessThe Cosmos’ Gift of DarknessRequired the “freezing” of the Big Bang
Energy into atoms … matter … us.Required the “freezing” of the Big Bang
Energy into atoms … matter … us.
Requires us to be away from
Galactic Nucleus or star cluster
Requires us to be away from
Galactic Nucleus or star cluster
NGC 253 (NOAO)
We are here
We are here
Darkness Eludes UsDarkness Eludes Us Outdoor lighting tries to
DISPEL THE DARKNESS! Outdoor lighting tries to
DISPEL THE DARKNESS!
Deprives us of the nightthe starsthe dark …
Deprives us of the nightthe starsthe dark …
Darkness Eludes UsDarkness Eludes Us
DenverDenver
Minneapolis
Minneapolis
Potsdam, NY
Potsdam, NY
Seeking DarknessSeeking Darkness
Astronomers and Monastics
• Seek what daylight hides
• Stars, nebulae, galaxies …
• God of the vast darkness …
Astronomers and Monastics
• Seek what daylight hides
• Stars, nebulae, galaxies …
• God of the vast darkness …
“And night to night declares knowledge.”
Psalm 19
“And night to night declares knowledge.”
Psalm 19
Seeking In The Darkness Seeking In The Darkness
One dark night,fired with love’s urgent longings- ah, the sheer grace –I went out unseen,my house being now all stilled.
One dark night,fired with love’s urgent longings- ah, the sheer grace –I went out unseen,my house being now all stilled.
The Dark Night
St. John of the Cross
The Dark Night
St. John of the Cross
Connecting …Connecting …
So what might this weirdness indicate
about God?
So what might this weirdness indicate
about God?