Difference between revisions of "Starlight problem"
m (spelling errors) |
m (added reference tag - reference was lost) |
||
| Line 7: | Line 7: | ||
Several solutions have been proposed by creationists to explain how a young universe may be reconciled with these observations. Some of these may be viewed on | Several solutions have been proposed by creationists to explain how a young universe may be reconciled with these observations. Some of these may be viewed on | ||
[[Debate:If the universe is young and it takes light millions of years to reach us from far off stars, how can we see them?]] | [[Debate:If the universe is young and it takes light millions of years to reach us from far off stars, how can we see them?]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | <references/> | ||
Revision as of 15:49, April 27, 2007
The Starlight Problem is an argument in favour of a universe with a long history - many billions of years - as opposed to the six thousand year age many creationists interpert based on the Genesis narative.
Given that the speed of light cannot possibly be exceeded - a conclusion of general relativity, and to which no exceptions have yet been found - the most distant visible objects cannot be further away than the distance light could travel since the universe was created. Thus, the distance to the furthest visible object can be used to establish a lower limit on the age of the universe.
Using parallax calculations, the milky way galaxy alone can be directly observed to have a diameter of approximately 80-100,000 light years. Calculations based on the observed brightness of supernovas of known energy output can determine the distance to more distant objects. The most distant object known is a star cluster approximately thirteen billion light-years distant, observed by the Hubble telescope using gravitational lensing[1].
Several solutions have been proposed by creationists to explain how a young universe may be reconciled with these observations. Some of these may be viewed on Debate:If the universe is young and it takes light millions of years to reach us from far off stars, how can we see them?