The Universe's Weirdest Optical Illusions.
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| Title: | The Universe's Weirdest Optical Illusions. |
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| Authors: | PLAIT, PHIL (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Scientific American. Mar2026, Vol. 334 Issue 3, p80-81. 2p. 1 Color Photograph. |
| Subjects: | Galaxies, Expanding universe, Universe, Light propagation, Visual perception, Cosmological distances, Optical distortion |
| Abstract: | The article discusses the counterintuitive phenomenon of how distant galaxies can appear larger due to the expansion of the universe. While on Earth, we rely on familiar size comparisons to estimate distances, this method fails at cosmic scales where galaxies vary in size. As light from a galaxy travels to Earth, the universe expands, causing galaxies that are billions of light-years away to appear larger than expected. This effect becomes significant for galaxies with a light-travel time of about 9.5 billion years, complicating distance measurements and observations. The article emphasizes the challenges astronomers face in understanding these distant objects and the universe's behavior over time. [Extracted from the article] |
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| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
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| Abstract: | The article discusses the counterintuitive phenomenon of how distant galaxies can appear larger due to the expansion of the universe. While on Earth, we rely on familiar size comparisons to estimate distances, this method fails at cosmic scales where galaxies vary in size. As light from a galaxy travels to Earth, the universe expands, causing galaxies that are billions of light-years away to appear larger than expected. This effect becomes significant for galaxies with a light-travel time of about 9.5 billion years, complicating distance measurements and observations. The article emphasizes the challenges astronomers face in understanding these distant objects and the universe's behavior over time. [Extracted from the article] |
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| ISSN: | 00368733 |
