Bertrand Russell's Paradox: Certainty or Doubt?

  • Thread starter talksabcd
  • Start date
  • Tags
    Light Star
In summary, the conversation discussed the possibility of observing a decrease in brightness of distant stars due to the expansion of the universe. It was concluded that while such a decrease would theoretically occur, it would be too small to detect with current technology. The conversation also touched on a statement by Bertrand Russell, which was deemed contradictory and uncertain.
  • #1
talksabcd
34
0
If the universe is expanding, then the brightness of distant stars should gradually decrease. Did anyone observe this phenomena of fading star light ?
 
Astronomy news on Phys.org
  • #2
This wouldn't affect any of the stars we can see with our naked eye, as the expansion does not cause individual galaxies to expand. As for more distant objects, you're right in principle; but, this happens so slowly that we really wouldn't be able to detect it.
 
  • #3
Rate of expansion is given my Hubbles constant H=71 km/s/Mpc.

So a Galaxy at 1 Mpc will be moving at 71 km/s and a Galaxy at 2 Mpc will be
moving at 142 km/s etc. Galaxy receding velocity would be too high at greater Mpcs. So should there be visible fading of the star over time at greater Mpcs ?.

For example
If we note down the Brightness of the STAR now and calculate the brightness
after 5 or 10 Years then shouldn't we see some difference considering very high
receding velocities at higher distances ?

Please clarify
 
Last edited:
  • #4
No, because the ratio of distance to expansion rate is where fading would come from. More distant galaxies are moving away faster, but they are further away, so percentagewise they still aren't opening the distance up at a rate we could see like that.
 
  • #5
talksabcd said:
Rate of expansion is given my Hubbles constant H=71 km/s/Mpc.

So a Galaxy at 1 Mpc will be moving at 71 km/s and a Galaxy at 2 Mpc will be
moving at 142 km/s etc. Galaxy receding velocity would be too high at greater Mpcs. So should there be visible fading of the star over time at greater Mpcs ?.

For example
If we note down the Brightness of the STAR now and calculate the brightness
after 5 or 10 Years then shouldn't we see some difference considering very high
receding velocities at higher distances ?

Please clarify

Note that at 1Mpc, after 1 sec, the galaxy will have receded an additional 71 km. 1Mpc = 3 x 10^19 km, so it will increased its distance by a factor of 1.00000000000000000237, and will have decreased in brightness by a factor of 0.999999999999999995267.

At 2Mpc, after 1 sec, the galaxy will have receded an additional 142 km. Thus it will have increased its distance by a factor of 1.00000000000000000237 and will have decreased in brightness by a factor of 0.999999999999999995267. This is the same relative brightness decrease seen at 1Mpc.

No matter how far away the galaxy is, the relative decrease in brightness over time remains constant. Over, say, 5 years this works out to about a factor of 0.999999999626824
 
  • #6
Thank You for explaining.

So are our instruments not capable of detecting decrease in Brightness by a factor of 0.999999999626824 after 5 years?

Is it possible to observe decrease in brightness after 20 or 30 or 40...years ?
If So, then anyone detected it ?.

Comment on Bertrand Russell:
Was Bertrand Russell certain of his statement or doubtful ?
His statement contradicsts itself as if he is certain then he would be the one described in the first part of the statement .If he is doubtful then he cannot be correct though he is wise.
 
Last edited:
  • #7
talksabcd said:
So are our instruments not capable of detecting decrease in Brightness by a factor of 0.999999999626824 after 5 years?

Is it possible to observe decrease in brightness after 20 or 30 or 40...years ?
If So, then anyone detected it ?.
No, no, and no.

Such a measurement isn't really feasible, as you'd need to be using the same detector 40 years after the first measurement. I doubt our technology today could measure a millionth of a percent change in brightness and we certainly couldn't 40 years ago.
Comment on Bertrand Russell:
Was Bertrand Russell certain of his statement or doubtful ?
His statement contradicsts itself as if he is certain then he would be the one described in the first part of the statement .If he is doubtful then he cannot be correct though he is wise.
The enemy of my enemy is my friend.
 

1. What is "Star Light Fading"?

"Star Light Fading" is a phenomenon that occurs when the light emitted from a star decreases in intensity over time. This can be caused by a variety of factors such as the star running out of fuel or being obscured by interstellar material.

2. How is "Star Light Fading" measured?

The intensity of a star's light can be measured using a photometer, which is a device that detects and measures the amount of light that reaches it. The data collected by the photometer is then used to plot a light curve, which shows the changes in the star's brightness over time.

3. What causes "Star Light Fading"?

There are several possible causes of "Star Light Fading". These include the star running out of fuel and entering its end stages, being obscured by interstellar material such as gas and dust, or being affected by the gravitational pull of other nearby stars or objects.

4. Can "Star Light Fading" be predicted?

While it is not always possible to predict when a star will experience "Star Light Fading", scientists can use data and observations to make educated guesses. For example, if a star is known to be nearing the end of its life cycle, it is likely that it will experience "Star Light Fading" in the near future.

5. How does "Star Light Fading" affect the star's lifespan?

"Star Light Fading" can significantly impact a star's lifespan, as it can be a sign that the star is approaching its end stages. Depending on the cause of the fading, the star may eventually die out completely or evolve into a different type of star. This process can take anywhere from a few thousand to billions of years.

Similar threads

  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
2
Replies
49
Views
2K
  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
Replies
16
Views
3K
  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
Replies
16
Views
4K
  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
Replies
5
Views
1K
  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
Replies
6
Views
1K
  • Special and General Relativity
Replies
34
Views
1K
  • Special and General Relativity
Replies
28
Views
2K
  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
Replies
3
Views
1K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
10
Views
2K
Back
Top