In the early part of the twentieth century the American astronomer Vesto Slipher and the German Carl Wirtz made some impor
tant astronomical discoveries. By using spectral analysis, Slipher deciphered the mixtures of gases contained in planetary atmospheres and nebulae. What distinguishes his findings is the discovery that most if not all galaxies outside our own demonstrate what is called a 'Red Shift'. This shift is simply a modification of the wavelength of the light emitted by those objects under investigation towards a longer wavelength. Wirtz also cataloged many red shifts of the nebulae which he chose to study. But it was still too early for them to realize the full potential meaning of their observations. It would wait until Einstein's General Relativity would be interpreted by other scientists through further mathematical analysis.
His contemporaries demonstrated to Einstein that his new theory of general relativity was published in 1916 was not compatible with a 'static' universe of space time. The theory predicted an expanding or collapsing universe but not a fixed cosmos. Because he personally believed the universe to be an invariable space time continuum, Einstein engaged in a degree of scientific legerdemain. To correct what he saw as the "missing" in his theory, he added the contrivance of a cosmological constant known as lambda to force the static universe into reality. Einstein's view of perfection in an unchanging space time continuum had led him into an impasse as far as Aristotle's concept of perfection had brought that great philosopher into the error of believing in a static Earth at the center of the universe.
But even with the addition of the cosmological constant Lambda, the universe was still found to be unstable and this whole matter could later be viewed by Einstein as his "greatest blunder". His cosmological acrobatics behind him, Einstein yielded the stage to the other for a clearer understanding of his own theory. It fell to Alexander Alexandrovich Friedmann to consider the consequences of general relativity without the constant lambda interfering with his investigation of these matters. Thus derived, the Russian mathematician and cosmologist the solution which predicts an ever expanding cosmological structure (1922), a prediction which was disagreeable with Einstein's concept of universal perfection. A few years later, Friedmann published his findings in "About the possibility of a world with constant negative curvature of space." But the entire hypothetical construct still lacked a complete verbalization mathematically and theoretically.
Enter the Reverend Father Georges Lemaitre, a Catholic priest from
But the new theory still lacked a major source of observational support. This would be the case with Edwin Hubble's observations of the redshift of galaxies. Take up where Slipher and Wirtz left off, Hubble employed a novel technique to distinguish the properties of galactic motions. By choosing to observe stars known as Cepheid variable Variables he could more accurately make measurements. Cepheid variable is a type of star that light and darken and lighten back up in regular periods, as is well known. Cepheid variable, which have identical cycle times of brightening darkening and brightening again also have identical or nearly identical luminosity. So if one compares the length of the cycle for the amount of light visible to the observer, it is possible to accurately estimate the distance to Cepheid variable.
In this manner, Hubble had found that the nebulae or galaxies exhibited a galactic red shift, in other words, that galaxies were receding away from our at a speed which is correlated directly with the distance between our vantage point and the galaxy being studied. The farther away the galaxies were faster and they seemed to go in moving away from us. The results of these studies is now known as Hubble's Law. Essentially, this law that the universe is in a growing mode whereby the intergalactic distances continue to grow without bound to infinity. Hubble's Law depends on the movement of the wavelength of light, and after having been delineated in 1929, has subsequently been proven again and again. Further, recalculated Hubble constant has been a more 'perfect' value and retains a high probability of being "recalculated" in the future based on new observations.
Thus it should be clear to the reader that our scientists have a fateful habit of introducing their preconceived notions of beauty into their models. From Aristotle's static Earth to Einstein's greatest blunder, the constant which forces a static universe, we proceed only from the wisdom of our weak minds. The more things change the more things are the same. Man's hubris knows no limits in our attempts to understand things without the wisdom to understand the underlying meaning. We are not humble. We make the same mistakes as we have always done. Back to the future.
