Today I read part of an essay by George Gamow entitled ‘Modern Cosmology’. It was written in 1954. I didn’t realize this until I was several pages into the essay…so I kept on reading…but I don’t know how much of what he says is still held up as truth today. So take these next couple of entries with a grain of salt or two. Yesterday I said we would talk about radiation dominance, but I have found more information about the switch in dominance from radiation to matter so I think I shall expound upon that. According to Gamow when this switch took place, giant clouds of matter started forming they took the shape of giant dust clouds clumping together. (I’ve included a picture of a modern dust cloud. Of course at this point in the universe there weren’t any stars…but just pretend.) Then when you get enough dust and just the right amount of radiation mixed up (like so many good cocktails I know) you get magic. In a complicated and very violent moment the cloud condenses and forms a star. And if you get lots of clouds you get lots of stars…and lots of stars form a galaxy. And there you have it, galaxy formation…of course that’s not quite that simple.
No comments:
Post a Comment