Changes

So many scientists find the idea that it only ''looks like'' we are at the center of the universe an attractive one.

So many scientists find the idea that it only ''looks like'' we are at the center of the universe an attractive one.

In the mid 1970s the astronomer [[William Tifft]] put forward the idea that red shift distances were quantized and possibly organized into spheres. If the observations were accurate, then it would suggest that the Earth is at or close to the centre of these spheres. While this centre is not necessarily the same thing as the centre of universe, it would certainly put Earth in a "special place".<ref>Humphreys, Russell, [http://www.creationontheweb.com/content/view/1570/ Our galaxy is the center of the universe, ‘quantized’ redshifts show], ''Journal of Creation'' 16(2):95–104, 2002.</ref> However, Tifft's original data involved a relatively small sample of around 200 bodies. Later observations have revealed that there is red shift clumping, due to structures such as [[supercluster complexes]], it is random in terms of direction and does indicate any symmetrical pattern<ref> Tang, S. M.; Zhang, S. N. (2005). "Critical Examinations of QSO Redshift Periodicities and Associations with Galaxies in Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data". Astrophysical Journal 633 (1): 41.</ref><ref>Schneider, et al. (2007). "The Sloan Digital Sky Survey Quasar Catalog. IV. Fifth Data Release". The Astrophysical Journal 134 (1): 102–117.</ref>.

In the mid 1970s the astronomer [[William Tifft]] put forward the idea that red shift distances were quantized and possibly organized into spheres. If the observations were accurate, then it would suggest that the Earth is at or close to the centre of these spheres. While this centre is not necessarily the same thing as the centre of universe, it would certainly put Earth in a "special place".<ref>Humphreys, Russell, [http://www.creationontheweb.com/content/view/1570/ Our galaxy is the center of the universe, ‘quantized’ redshifts show], ''Journal of Creation'' 16(2):95–104, 2002.</ref> However, Tifft's original data involved a relatively small sample of around 200 bodies. Later observations have revealed that there is red shift clumping, due to structures such as [[supercluster complexes]], it is random in terms of direction and does indicate any symmetrical pattern.<ref>Tang, S. M.; Zhang, S. N. (2005). "Critical Examinations of QSO Redshift Periodicities and Associations with Galaxies in Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data". Astrophysical Journal 633 (1): 41.</ref><ref>Schneider, et al. (2007). "The Sloan Digital Sky Survey Quasar Catalog. IV. Fifth Data Release". The Astrophysical Journal 134 (1): 102–117.</ref>

== Origin of the universe ==

== Origin of the universe ==

Equivocation is a [[logical fallacy]].<ref>[http://onegoodmove.org/fallacy/equiv.htm Equivocation]</ref>

Equivocation is a [[logical fallacy]].<ref>[http://onegoodmove.org/fallacy/equiv.htm Equivocation]</ref>

[[Creation science|Creationist scientists]] demonstrate that the [[First Law of Thermodynamics|first law of thermodynamics]] and [[Second law of thermodynamics|second law of thermodynamics]] argue against an eternal [[universe]] and they also demonstrate that these laws point to the universe being supernaturally created. <ref>[http://godevidences.net/space/lawsofscience.php Evidences for God From Space&mdash;Laws of Science]</ref><ref>Thompson, Bert, [http://www.apologeticspress.org/articles/2329 So Long, Eternal Universe; Hello Beginning, Hello End!], 2001 (Apologetics Press)</ref><ref>http://www.creationscience.com/onlinebook/AstroPhysicalSciences14.html</ref>  [[Atheism|Atheists]], using the fallacy of equivocation, attempt to obscure this matter (see: [[Atheism and equivocation|Atheism equivocation and the origin of the universe]]).

[[Creation science|Creationist scientists]] demonstrate that the [[First Law of Thermodynamics|first law of thermodynamics]] and [[second law of thermodynamics]] argue against an eternal universe and they also demonstrate that these laws point to the universe being supernaturally created.<ref>[http://godevidences.net/space/lawsofscience.php Evidences for God From Space&mdash;Laws of Science]</ref><ref>Thompson, Bert, [http://www.apologeticspress.org/articles/2329 So Long, Eternal Universe; Hello Beginning, Hello End!], 2001 (Apologetics Press)</ref><ref>http://www.creationscience.com/onlinebook/AstroPhysicalSciences14.html</ref>  [[Atheism|Atheists]], using the fallacy of equivocation, attempt to obscure this matter (see: [[Atheism and equivocation|Atheism equivocation and the origin of the universe]]).

== Age ==

== Age ==

According to the [[Big Bang theory]], the universe erupted into existence from a highly compact [[singularity]]<ref>Discover magazine, in introducing the ideas of [[Alan Guth]], said, "The universe burst into something from absolutely nothing—zero, nada. And as it got bigger, it became filled with even more stuff that came from absolutely nowhere." Discover, April 2002.</ref><ref name="bigbang">[http://www.pbs.org/deepspace/timeline/] The creation of the universe came from a [[singularity]], not "nothing"</ref> approximately 13.7 billion years ago, and has been [[expanding universe|expanding]] ever since. This is the current [[scientific consensus]] and is agreed upon by the vast majority of the scientific community<ref>http://www.interacademies.net/10878/13901.aspx</ref>.

According to the [[Big Bang theory]], the universe erupted into existence from a highly compact [[singularity]]<ref>Discover magazine, in introducing the ideas of [[Alan Guth]], said, "The universe burst into something from absolutely nothing—zero, nada. And as it got bigger, it became filled with even more stuff that came from absolutely nowhere." Discover, April 2002.</ref><ref name="bigbang">[http://www.pbs.org/deepspace/timeline/] The creation of the universe came from a [[singularity]], not "nothing"</ref> approximately 13.7 billion years ago, and has been [[expanding universe|expanding]] ever since. This is the current [[scientific consensus]] and is agreed upon by the vast majority of the scientific community.<ref>http://www.interacademies.net/10878/13901.aspx</ref>

Ancient Christian Biblical accounts disagree with contemporary science, and adherents to such are known as young Earth Creationists. Bishop [[James Ussher]] calculated the universe was created on October 23, 4004 BC.  While this is not the only biblical chronology which has been developed, almost all chronologies give a creation date near 4000 BC{{citation needed}}.

Ancient Christian Biblical accounts disagree with contemporary science, and adherents to such are known as young Earth Creationists. Bishop [[James Ussher]] calculated the universe was created on October 23, 4004 BC.  While this is not the only biblical chronology which has been developed, almost all chronologies give a creation date near 4000 BC{{citation needed}}.

This gives rise to the "[[Starlight problem|starlight problem]]" for some Christians, although there is nothing inherently illogical about the creation of light ''in situ'' to inform humanity of the existence of objects farther away than 6000 light-years.  Believers in relativity have constructed a number of models which explain the age of the universe as being affected by the time-warping effects of gravity as predicted by [[Einstein]]'s [[General Theory of Relativity]], so that the age of the universe as measured by a hypothetical observer at the edge of the universe might be 14 billion years, but as measured by an observer on Earth is only 6,000 years.<ref>Batten, Don, et. al., [http://www.creationontheweb.com/images/pdfs/cabook/chapter5.pdf How can we see distant stars in a young universe?], chapter 5 of ''The Creation Answers Book'', 2007.</ref>

This gives rise to the "[[starlight problem]]" for some Christians, although there is nothing inherently illogical about the creation of light ''in situ'' to inform humanity of the existence of objects farther away than 6000 light-years.  Believers in relativity have constructed a number of models which explain the age of the universe as being affected by the time-warping effects of gravity as predicted by [[Einstein]]'s [[General Theory of Relativity]], so that the age of the universe as measured by a hypothetical observer at the edge of the universe might be 14 billion years, but as measured by an observer on Earth is only 6,000 years.<ref>Batten, Don, et. al., [http://www.creationontheweb.com/images/pdfs/cabook/chapter5.pdf How can we see distant stars in a young universe?], chapter 5 of ''The Creation Answers Book'', 2007.</ref>

== Size ==

== Size ==

This creates a dilemma of faster than light movement, but it is speculated that the expansion of space itself can exceed the [[speed of light]] even if the objects within it moving on their own can not.<ref name="size" />

This creates a dilemma of faster than light movement, but it is speculated that the expansion of space itself can exceed the [[speed of light]] even if the objects within it moving on their own can not.<ref name="size" />

As an analogy, imagine ants (galaxies), that can't walk faster than 20 centimetres per second, sitting on an elastic cord.

As an analogy, imagine ants (galaxies), that can't walk faster than 20 centimetres per second, sitting on an elastic cord.

Normally two ants moving away from each other could not exceed a speed of 40cm/s relative to each other (speed of light).

Normally two ants moving away from each other could not exceed a speed of 40&nbsp;cm/s relative to each other (speed of light).

However, if the cord is stretched while the ants are moving (expansion of space), the ants' speed relative to each other can be greater.

However, if the cord is stretched while the ants are moving (expansion of space), the ants' speed relative to each other can be greater.

*[[Atheism and the origin of the universe]]

*[[Atheism and the origin of the universe]]

==External Links==

==External links==

*[http://www.relativitycalculator.com/models_universe.shtml Early Models of the Universe]

*[http://www.relativitycalculator.com/models_universe.shtml Early Models of the Universe]

==References==

==References==