Redshift Time and the Start of the Solar System

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the relationship between redshift, time, and the formation of the solar system, exploring whether redshift could be attributed to changes in time rather than space. Participants also inquire about the accuracy of dating the beginning of the solar system and its potential correlation with the period of universal expansion.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants propose that redshift might be influenced by changes in time, suggesting a link between time and space as described by Einstein.
  • Others provide historical context, noting that the solar system formed approximately 4.568 billion years ago from a giant molecular cloud, while the Big Bang occurred around 13.7 billion years ago.
  • A participant questions the accuracy of the solar system's formation date and its relation to the expansion of the universe, specifically addressing the transition from slowing to accelerating expansion.
  • Another participant elaborates on the dating of the solar system's formation, emphasizing that the 4.568 billion-year figure is based on lead isotope dating of the oldest known material, and discusses the reliability of these dating methods over time.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the nature of redshift and its relationship to time and space. There is no consensus on whether the timing of the solar system's formation coincides with the expansion of the universe, and the accuracy of the solar system's age remains a topic of inquiry.

Contextual Notes

Participants note that the dating of the solar system's formation is based on lead-lead dating methods, which have remained consistent over decades, but the implications of this consistency and its relationship to cosmic events are still debated.

John15
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Einstein tells us time and space are linked, could redshift be caused by a change in time rather than space?
Including uncertainties how close is the start of this period of universal expansion to the start of the solar system? Could the 2 coincide?
 
Space news on Phys.org
The Solar System formed from the gravitational collapse of a giant molecular cloud 4.568 billion years ago.[112] This initial cloud was likely several light-years across and probably birthed several stars.[113]
-------------------
Above from Wikipedia. Big bang was about 13.7 billion years ago.

I can't comment on your first question.
 
Not talking about BB expansion. Apparently expansion of universe was slowing down from BB then started accelerating again it is this point I was asking about.
How can we be so accurate about beginning of solar system.
Can anyone help with time and redshift, slowing of time I think should have same effect as expansion of space.
 
John15 said:
How can we be so accurate about beginning of solar system.

That's an interesting question! The 4568.2 million year figure comes from here:
http://www.nature.com/ngeo/journal/v3/n9/full/ngeo941.html

It is NOT presented as "the age of the solar system".

To be precise, it is presented as the lead isotope age of the oldest material we have found in the solar system so far.

Two points are to be made about this.
1. Because the material was found in a primitive type of meteorite that is thought to be among the very earliest solid stuff that would have collected out of a star-forming cloud of gas and dust, it's reasonable to THINK of the solar system starting to gather about the same time that meteoritic material formed. So call the solar system ROUGHLY 4.6 BILLION years old. (But no reason to put all those decimal places on the number, 4.6 is fine.)

2. They've used "lead-lead dating" since the 40s or 50s---for over 50 years, and checked it various ways. And the estimates for oldest known material have barely changed for a long time. This particular 4.568 billion is only around 1/3 of a million years older than what they had before. It is ahead "by a nose" in the competition to find the oldest material in the solar system. When estimates over many years tend to CONVERGE like that it's reasonable to guess that we needn't expect any big surprises. They aren't likely to ever find a meteorite with material much older than that in it.

Anyway it is very interesting how they date this material using two isotopes of lead
Pb-207 and Pb-206. Definitely something to find out about. If you ever want to date a really mature meteorite.:biggrin:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead-lead_dating
 
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