Let's look back at a photo that I took... it was the exactly the dead of summer. (link to the photo is listed at the bottom of this page). I would observe what I like to describe as "bands of stars" advancing across the vast expanse of the shoreline at Lake Huron. So, as you look at this photo, let's ponder something for a moment... "how far back in time are we looking?" Well, this is a tantalizing question. Initially, there are two answers: 1) We're looking at the summer of '10 and,
2) "We're looking at the stars"
This definitely would makes sense as the image was taken in 2010, so where looking back at that time. Actually, the truth behind all of this is that we're not necessarily looking at a single slice in time. Well, the light that's coming from all of those celestial bodies is already here, that is, where the image was being taken. Although one could argue that we are looking back at stars, therefore, wouldn't we be looking light years back in time? Well, not necessarily. Again, although we are looking at things that are spaced out by many light years, the light which has travelled for years is already here. Therefore, the light can be thought of as travelling to us in an infinitesimally small amount of time. Since that light is much closer to the camera than some might think. If the light wasn't already here, then this image wouldn't even be possible! (The light isn't light years away at the time of capture. Instead, it is right in front of us). And of course, there is still the argument that is on the contrary. Because this light has travelled for light years, it was once tucked away in some incredibly far away places. Yet what I find most perplexing about all of this is that; while these are points of light which may not exist anymore, this image was still done only about five years ago; One slice of time that took place here on Earth... not there. Another slice of time that actually is made up of various- ranging anywhere from approximately a few tens, to possibly many thousands of light years, away. Many of these objects may have went out, or existed a few years ago... or even thousands of years ago, when that light left on it's journey to reach the Earth, on which we just happen to be to observe it. We virtually have no idea as to what we are looking at; besides stars, what are we looking at? There could be so many other objects out there. These may include planets, comets, asteroids, etc. Think just about how many various planets there could be just in that one region. There could be planets which are just like ours. There could be planets on which, collectively, there is an absolutely enormous variety of environments. While we may be out there someday, in the heat of summer, kicking back to do some stargazing, then keep one thing in mind: there could be other, totally different worlds out there. Ones on which it's daytime, for instance. Or, it could be winter there right now. And if anyone were to be on one or more of those worlds now, they may be just like us, looking back at our region of the galaxy. And maybe, for instance, they are thinking the same as what we are thinking. Anyway...
And then again, how many of those worlds are still in existence? And how many are yet to emerge into existence, from our perspective? This is just the nature of our own universe; the fact that our universe still poses many questions in addition to the answers that it offers. Because the universe only offer us some parts of the truth here and there; and it still leaves an enormous amount of information left behind... information which is left "trapped" in the realms of time and space, collectively. https://www.flickr.com/photos/31391486@N04/5983188386/in/photostream/
No comments:
Post a Comment