Exploring the Possibility of Observing the Big Bang Through a Powerful Telescope

  • Thread starter Abbas Ibn Firnas
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In summary, the Big Bang theory is based on a number of observations that suggest that the universe had a beginning.
  • #1
Abbas Ibn Firnas
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Hi,

I have a question...

If I were to build a telescope that could produce images of things about say... 14 billion light years away... What would I see?

According to the Big bang theory, shouldn't I just see a singularity and nothing else?

Thanks.
 
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  • #2
No, that's like saying if you run across the street, you can use a pair of binoculars to look at yourself on the other side of the street
 
  • #3
actually... if I could travel faster than light, that wouldn't be so difficult.

Anyway, my question didn't involve moving anywhere, and so your answer was not relevant.
 
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  • #4
But space-time has expanded away from the big bang, if you're looking through a telescope, you're looking at a distance.
 
  • #5
Abbas Ibn Firnas said:
According to the Big bang theory, shouldn't I just see a singularity and nothing else?

There probably won't actually be a singularity (see the many discussions on quantum gravity in this and the "Beyond the SM" forum), but in traditional BB theory, the singularity would lie at z=infinity, so its light would be redshifted to nothing. It doesn't matter, though, because in practice we can't observe light beyond the surface of last scattering at z=1100.
 
  • #6
Thanks for your reply.

I don't really know much about physics so that just went right over my head. Are you saying there's some kind of limit at which the light moving away from the big bang no longer reaches us?
 
  • #7
Abbas Ibn Firnas said:
I don't really know much about physics so that just went right over my head. Are you saying there's some kind of limit at which the light moving away from the big bang no longer reaches us?

At earlier times in the history of the universe, the matter was much denser and more ionized, so light couldn't travel very far through it before getting absorbed/scattered. It wasn't until about 300,000 years after the Big Bang that light could travel long distances without interacting with matter. Thus, virtually all of the light that we see was emitted after the universe was ~300,000 years old. The rest has long since been absorbed/scattered.
 
  • #8
it is the theory of big bang true?i don belife that.
 
  • #9
thoms2543 said:
it is the theory of big bang true?i don belife that.
Do you understand the reasons why other peole do?

Garth
 
  • #10
Feel free to believe whatever it is you believe, thoms. Ignoring science does not make it go away . . . drat, Garth already said that.
 
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  • #11
measure the age of universe?can we?can we measure the number of sand of a big river?otherwise big bang is a theory, it does not mean that it is true at all.
 
  • #12
thoms2543 said:
otherwise big bang is a theory

Sure it's a theory (what else could it be?). But it's definitely not a guess.
Big Bang theory is suported by a number of strong observations, see e.g. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_bang#Observational_evidence.

wikipedia said:
It is generally stated that there are three observational pillars that support the Big Bang theory of cosmology. These are the Hubble-type expansion seen in the redshifts of galaxies, the detailed measurements of the cosmic microwave background, and the abundance of light elements. (See Big Bang nucleosynthesis.) Additionally, the observed correlation function of large-scale structure of the cosmos fits well with standard Big Bang theory.
 
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  • #13
Well, I would say there were 4 pillars that support the standard big bang theory (lambda CDM) and they include those mentioned in the Wikepedia article, plus large hierarchical scale structure observations, but I am biased! :biggrin:
 

1. What is the Big Bang theory?

The Big Bang theory is a scientific explanation for the origin and expansion of the universe. It suggests that the universe began as a singularity, or a single point of infinite density and temperature, about 13.8 billion years ago. This singularity then expanded rapidly in a massive explosion, creating all matter and energy in the universe.

2. How do we know the Big Bang happened?

Scientists have gathered evidence from multiple sources, such as the cosmic microwave background radiation, the abundance of light elements in the universe, and the redshift of galaxies, that supports the concept of the Big Bang. Additionally, mathematical models and simulations have also confirmed the plausibility of the theory.

3. Can we see the Big Bang?

Unfortunately, we cannot see the Big Bang itself as it occurred over 13 billion years ago. However, we can observe the aftereffects of the Big Bang, such as the cosmic microwave background radiation, which is the remnants of the intense heat from the initial explosion. We can also study the distribution and movement of galaxies to gather more information about the early universe.

4. Is the Big Bang the only theory for the origin of the universe?

The Big Bang theory is currently the most widely accepted explanation for the origin of the universe among scientists. However, there are other theories, such as the Steady State theory and the Multiverse theory, which propose alternative explanations. These theories are still being studied and debated in the scientific community.

5. Can we recreate the Big Bang in a lab?

No, it is not currently possible to recreate the Big Bang in a lab. The conditions and energy required are beyond our current technological capabilities. However, scientists continue to study the early universe and the conditions that led to the Big Bang through experiments and simulations to gain a better understanding of the event.

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