The Universe

  • The Universe (plus one)

    Do you often sit around, look up at the night sky, and wish that you knew just a little more about the Universe? After all, it only stretches out 46 billion light years in each direction. Well, the FAS Astronomers Blog now has a five-part series on all aspects of the Universe; from what we…

  • The Multiverse

    FAS Astronomers Blog, Volume 31, Number 6. This is part 5 of a 5-part series on the Universe (The Visible Universe, The Dark Universe, The Expanding Universe, The Microscopic Universe, and The Multiverse). Define the Universe and give five examples. Many years ago, this would be a joke, but today maybe not. Recently, astronomers have…

  • The Microscopic Universe

    FAS Astronomers Blog, Volume 31, Number 5. This is part 4 of a 5-part series on the Universe (The Visible Universe, The Dark Universe, The Expanding Universe, The Microscopic Universe, and The Multiverse). The universe is huge and filled with light. We can see out 46 billion light-years in any direction. It is full of…

  • The Expanding Universe

    FAS Astronomers Blog, Volume 31, Number 4. This is part 3 of a 5-part series on the Universe (The Visible Universe, The Dark Universe, The Expanding Universe, The Microscopic Universe, and The Multiverse). For a long time, people thought that the universe was static and everlasting. It was here. It had always been here. And…

  • The Dark Universe

    FAS Astronomers Blog, Volume 31, Number 3. This is part 2 of a 5-part series on the Universe (The Visible Universe, The Dark Universe, The Expanding Universe, The Microscopic Universe, and The Multiverse). There is much we can see in the visible universe. On the other hand, the universe is also dark and mysterious. And…

  • The Visible Universe

    FAS Astronomers Blog, Volume 31, Number 2. This is part 1 of a 5-part series on the Universe (The Visible Universe, The Dark Universe, The Microscopic Universe, The Expanding Universe, and The Multiverse). When we look up at the night sky, we can see clouds. Yes, for most of us interested in astronomy, this is…

  • A Map of the Universe

    FAS Astronomers Blog, Volume 30, Number 15. Earlier this year (2022), I posted an article about the history of the universe. I followed with a second article about the shape and future of the universe. The universe is big (really big). Estimates place the diameter of the visible universe at 92 billion light years. It…