Comments on: Ep. 81: Questions on the Shape, Size and Centre of the Universe http://www.astronomycast.com/astronomy/ep-81-questions-on-the-shape-size-and-centre-of-the-universe/ Take a weekly facts-based journey through the cosmos with Astronomy Cast. Thu, 18 Mar 2010 00:26:13 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Tom Leach http://www.astronomycast.com/astronomy/ep-81-questions-on-the-shape-size-and-centre-of-the-universe/comment-page-1/#comment-1219 Tom Leach Sat, 01 Nov 2008 05:51:06 +0000 http://www.astronomycast.com/astronomy/ep-81-questions-on-the-shape-size-and-centre-of-the-universe/#comment-1219 I am learning alot from you two. I did not know the Milky Way is now only thought to be in two spiral arms not 4. That's a huge change in thinking. Thanks for the info. Tom, Cape Cod I am learning alot from you two. I did not know the Milky Way is now only thought to be in two spiral arms not 4. That's a huge change in thinking. Thanks for the info. Tom, Cape Cod

]]> By: Jerry Fox http://www.astronomycast.com/astronomy/ep-81-questions-on-the-shape-size-and-centre-of-the-universe/comment-page-1/#comment-349 Jerry Fox Mon, 07 Apr 2008 17:53:23 +0000 http://www.astronomycast.com/astronomy/ep-81-questions-on-the-shape-size-and-centre-of-the-universe/#comment-349 A recent issue of New Scientist quoted a comment that time passes more slowly in regions of high gravity. I believe also that as an object approaches a black hole, time for the object is slowed relative to the world outside. So what would have happened just after the Big Bang, when the entire universe was, say, the size of a pea? Perhaps one could say yes, time passed _very_ slowly, but since everything was running at the same rate, it didn't matter. But would that affect the speed of light? Would light have taken years to travel this small distance? Does light march to a different drum from the rest of us? - though now the drums are indistinguishable. A recent issue of New Scientist quoted a comment that time passes more slowly in regions of high gravity. I believe also that as an object approaches a black hole, time for the object is slowed relative to the world outside.

So what would have happened just after the Big Bang, when the entire universe was, say, the size of a pea? Perhaps one could say yes, time passed _very_ slowly, but since everything was running at the same rate, it didn't matter. But would that affect the speed of light? Would light have taken years to travel this small distance? Does light march to a different drum from the rest of us? – though now the drums are indistinguishable.

]]> By: themondo http://www.astronomycast.com/astronomy/ep-81-questions-on-the-shape-size-and-centre-of-the-universe/comment-page-1/#comment-339 themondo Fri, 04 Apr 2008 04:51:00 +0000 http://www.astronomycast.com/astronomy/ep-81-questions-on-the-shape-size-and-centre-of-the-universe/#comment-339 It would be nice if people were respective of each other no matter there view point. The univese is a BIG place. So there are alot of scenarios that can be had, even the imaginative are not to be discounted. That's why we have fiction (no matter what catagory) and it could possibly be true if you suggest it. I like all therories but some have to be questioned, others dicounted, some discredited and others (most of them) looked at seriously. So can we not look like we're talking to some one who doesn't know anything about cars and help each other to Know about the vast nature that surrounds us, the universe. It would be nice if people were respective of each other no matter there view point. The univese is a BIG place. So there are alot of scenarios that can be had, even the imaginative are not to be discounted. That's why we have fiction (no matter what catagory) and it could possibly be true if you suggest it. I like all therories but some have to be questioned, others dicounted, some discredited and others (most of them) looked at seriously. So can we not look like we're talking to some one who doesn't know anything about cars and help each other to Know about the vast nature that surrounds us, the universe.

]]> By: Mirv http://www.astronomycast.com/astronomy/ep-81-questions-on-the-shape-size-and-centre-of-the-universe/comment-page-1/#comment-330 Mirv Tue, 01 Apr 2008 14:58:10 +0000 http://www.astronomycast.com/astronomy/ep-81-questions-on-the-shape-size-and-centre-of-the-universe/#comment-330 Whenever I try to picture space having a torus geometry, I think about that old-school video game, Asteroids. It's a 2D game, you can fly your spaceship up, down, left and right. When your ship flies past the upper part of the screen, it appears at the bottom. When your ship flies past the bottom part of the screen, it appears at the top; and similarly right to left and left to right. Is this space a torus geometry? Whenever I try to picture space having a torus geometry, I think about that old-school video game, Asteroids.

It's a 2D game, you can fly your spaceship up, down, left and right. When your ship flies past the upper part of the screen, it appears at the bottom. When your ship flies past the bottom part of the screen, it appears at the top; and similarly right to left and left to right.

Is this space a torus geometry?

]]> By: Jason Creighton http://www.astronomycast.com/astronomy/ep-81-questions-on-the-shape-size-and-centre-of-the-universe/comment-page-1/#comment-327 Jason Creighton Sun, 30 Mar 2008 20:03:01 +0000 http://www.astronomycast.com/astronomy/ep-81-questions-on-the-shape-size-and-centre-of-the-universe/#comment-327 Pamela says in this episode that a megaparsec is "about three thousand light years across". Since a parsec is about 3.2 lightyears, wouldn't a megaparsec be about 3.2 million light years, not 3.2 thousand? Wouldn't 3.2 thousand be a kiloparsec? Pamela says in this episode that a megaparsec is "about three thousand light years across". Since a parsec is about 3.2 lightyears, wouldn't a megaparsec be about 3.2 million light years, not 3.2 thousand? Wouldn't 3.2 thousand be a kiloparsec?

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