Accounting for Cosmological Expansion in Distance Measurements

In summary, the conversation discusses the challenges of determining distance on large scales, taking into account the cosmological expansion of the universe. This can be seen through the example of Quasars, which have high redshifts and come from a time and place far away. The question also arises of whether the expansion of the universe has been consistent or has varied over time. Different cosmological models and eras can lead to varying equations and results for the expansion. A recommended resource for further reading is the book "Introduction to Cosmology" by A. Liddle.
  • #1
Brantoc
6
0
Some objects, Quasars for example have extremely high redshifts, and come from a time long past, and place far away. When determining distance on such large scales, how do you also factor in the cosmological expansion of the universe, meaning 10 billion years ago the universe was much smaller than today, the light would be stretched over time as the universe expands.

In some respects, if we see an object that is very old, were we really this far away when the light was emitted, and how far are we away today? do you assume consistent expansion, or did it once expand faster and today is it slowing?

Does someone have an example equation/result from a distant object?
 
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  • #2
Things you could read about:

co-moving coordinates
co-moving distance
luminosity distance
diameter distance
proper distance

The expansion is different in each cosmological model
and it can also vary with time within the model itself.
For example you can distinguish between radiation
dominated era and matter dominated era and then
obtain different functions for the expansion.

The book that I would suggest would be
"Introduction to Cosmology" by A. Liddle.

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1. What is redshift in terms of astronomical measurements?

Redshift is a measure of how much the wavelength of light from an object has been stretched due to its motion away from the observer. It is commonly used in astronomy to measure the distance of objects in the universe.

2. How does redshift relate to the expansion of the universe?

The higher the redshift value of an object, the faster it is moving away from us. This is due to the expansion of the universe, which causes objects to appear to be moving away from each other at increasing speeds.

3. What is considered a high redshift value?

Redshift values are typically measured in terms of z, with z=0 representing objects that are not moving away from us. A redshift value of z=1 means that the object is moving away from us at a speed equal to the speed of light. Redshift values greater than 1 are considered to be high.

4. How do scientists determine the redshift of an object?

The redshift of an object can be determined by analyzing the spectrum of light emitted by the object. By measuring the shift in the wavelength of specific spectral lines, scientists can calculate the redshift value and thus the object's distance and speed.

5. What can the study of high redshift objects tell us about the early universe?

High redshift objects are some of the oldest and most distant objects in the universe. By studying them, scientists can learn about the conditions of the early universe, such as its expansion rate and the formation of galaxies. High redshift objects also provide evidence for the Big Bang theory and the age of the universe.

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