Blocks of empty space within the known universe

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the concept of "blocks of empty space within the known universe," specifically focusing on regions that are devoid of matter and light. Participants explore the implications of such spaces and reference specific astronomical observations, particularly related to NGC 1999.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant requests valid articles and research on regions of space that are completely devoid of matter and light, defining the known universe as the area from which light is still received.
  • Another participant challenges the notion of complete emptiness in the referenced links, suggesting that the "hole" in the dust cloud does not imply a total absence of matter or light, but rather a significant drop in density.
  • A different participant cites a source indicating that the observed patch appears black not due to dense gas but because it is genuinely empty, although they note that any remaining matter might be insignificant.
  • Further clarification is provided that while there is still some matter present, it is minimal compared to the surrounding cloud.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the nature of the space referenced in the original post. There is no consensus on whether the areas discussed are truly devoid of all matter and light, as some argue that there is still some presence of gas and light, albeit in small amounts.

Contextual Notes

The discussion highlights limitations in the definitions of "empty space" and the observational interpretations of NGC 1999, which may depend on specific conditions and assumptions about density and visibility.

eksxxx
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Please share the information you have about this topic, post only valid articles and research.

By "blocks of empty space within the known universe" I mean blocks of space that are free of both matter and light i.e. there is no light or matter within that space;empty and dark. And the known universe to be the space from which we still receive light.

If you need more information please visit these links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NGC_1999
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37088640/ns/technology_and_science-space/

your contributions will be appreciated!
 
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Those links refer to a "hole" in a cloud of dust. That doesn't imply that it is literrally completely void of all things, including dust and gas and light, but merely that it is a sudden dropoff of density in the middle of the cloud. There is still light and small amounts of gas inside the hole.
 
Drakkith said:
... Aided by the ground-based Mayall (Kitt Peak) and Magellan telescopes, it was determined that the patch looks black not because it is an extremely dense pocket of gas, but because it is truly empty...

Thats from Wikipedia NGC 1999. There might be something but it should be insignificant.
 
eksxxx said:
Thats from Wikipedia NGC 1999. There might be something but it should be insignificant.

Yep. There is still something there, but not a lot. At least compared to the cloud surrounding it.
 

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