Discuss Dark Matter & Light: Photons Affecting Space-Time?

[Swedeson]

I would like to discuss the topic of light (photons) being emitted from stars potentially being the source of dark energy and dark matter. Photons have mass and velocity; therefore they will affect space time, and their impact could have an effect on objects causing acceleration.

Would love to discuss why/why not this might be possible.

 

[Drakkith]

Photons are not, and cannot be, the source of dark matter and dark energy. We can measure the amount of ambient light in the universe and we know for a fact that there isn't nearly enough of it to affect the universe in such a way.

Not only that, but dark matter is clearly concentrated in long filaments with galaxies embedded in the larger structure. Surrounding this are large voids, where the density of matter and dark matter is much less than average. Light cannot explain this, as it simply spreads out into all of space and does not clump together.

It also can't be dark energy, as light actually has the opposite effect on the universe that dark energy does. That is, it slows down the expansion, it doesn't speed it up.

Edit: photons also don't have mass. They are indeed massless. But they do have energy, which causes gravitation.

 

[berkeman]

Thread closed for Moderation...

 

[berkeman]

Thread will remain closed. Nice reply by @Drakkith

@Swedeson -- Welcome to the PF. We do not discuss speculation like that. If you can find related topics presented in peer-reviewed journal articles and mainstream textbooks, please start a new thread with links to those resources and ask specific questions about them. Thank you.

Please also review the PF rules about speculation (under INFO at the top of the page).