The Big Bang: Light, Matter and

Darkness

The Big Bang: Light, Matter and

Darkness

SOAR Fall 2004SOAR Fall 2004

In the Beginning …In the Beginning …

At t = 0 seconds Time began Space began Universe began

At t = 0 seconds Time began Space began Universe began

What DO we know? All galaxies are moving away from us More distant galaxies moving away faster Entire universe glows in microwaves

What DO we know? All galaxies are moving away from us More distant galaxies moving away faster Entire universe glows in microwaves

In the Beginning …In the Beginning … What DO we know?

All galaxies are moving away from us More distant galaxies moving away faster

What DO we know? All galaxies are moving away from us More distant galaxies moving away faster

-1 0 21 3

-2 -1 10 2 3 4 65

Radio Raisin Moves at 3 m/s

Singing Raisin Moves

at 1 m/s

California Raisin CosmologyCalifornia Raisin Cosmology

Distances Double in 1 sec

Raisins separated by

meters

In the Beginning …In the Beginning … Expansion of the Universe

All galaxies are moving away from us More distant galaxies moving away faster

Expansion of the Universe All galaxies are moving away from us More distant galaxies moving away faster

… The universe is like a raisin bread!… The universe is like a raisin bread!

Raisins move with dough, not through it.

Galaxies move with space, not through it!

In the Beginning …In the Beginning …

Current Cosmological Theory Use equations to “run time backwards”

o Universe gets smaller, denser, hottero Can go back to 10-43 sec after Big Bang

Observations support Theory Early universe is glowing ball of energy

seen as Cosmic Microwave Background

Current Cosmological Theory Use equations to “run time backwards”

o Universe gets smaller, denser, hottero Can go back to 10-43 sec after Big Bang

Observations support Theory Early universe is glowing ball of energy

seen as Cosmic Microwave Background

… So what have we learned?… So what have we learned?

In The Beginning There Was …In The Beginning There Was …

LIGHTLIGHT

At t=10-43 Seconds There Was …

At t=10-43 Seconds There Was …

The Expansion of the UniverseThe Expansion of the UniverseAfter 10-43 seconds

Time and Space began expanding

The Universe contained Time, Space & Energy

After 10-43 seconds

Time and Space began expanding

The Universe contained Time, Space & Energy

The energy was in the

form of electromagnetic radiation

…light

The energy was in the

form of electromagnetic radiation

…light

The Nature of LightThe Nature of LightLight is an electromagnetic wave…Light is an electromagnetic wave…

Light Interacts As A WaveLight Interacts As A Wave

Light shows interference (addition of waves)

and diffraction (bending around

corners) like water waves.

Light shows interference (addition of waves)

and diffraction (bending around

corners) like water waves.

But that’s not ALL light is …But that’s not ALL light is …

Light Interacts As A Particle

Light Interacts As A ParticleLight pushes dust out of the solar system

like a stream of particles.

Light pushes dust out of the solar system

like a stream of particles.

Hale-Bopp APOD 4/1/97

Ion tail shaped by solar magnetic field.Ion tail shaped by

solar magnetic field.

Dust tail shaped by sunlight pushing

dust away from the sun.

Dust tail shaped by sunlight pushing

dust away from the sun.

Wave-Particle DualityWave-Particle Duality

Light is a wave AND a particle! Exists as both natures …

until it interacts with matter.

Manifests one nature

appropriate to the interaction.

o Becomes a particle hitting comet dust.

o Becomes a wave passing through a slit.

Light is a wave AND a particle! Exists as both natures …

until it interacts with matter.

Manifests one nature

appropriate to the interaction.

o Becomes a particle hitting comet dust.

o Becomes a wave passing through a slit.How can it be BOTH at ONCE?

We don’t know … but it is!How can it be BOTH at ONCE?

We don’t know … but it is!

Wave-Particle DualityWave-Particle Duality

“The essential marvel of the divine milieu is the ease with which it assembles and

harmonizes within itself qualities which appear to us

to be contradictory.”

Teilhard de Chardin

The Divine Milieu

“The essential marvel of the divine milieu is the ease with which it assembles and

harmonizes within itself qualities which appear to us

to be contradictory.”

Teilhard de Chardin

The Divine Milieu

The Structure Of MatterThe Structure Of MatterMatter at the Subatomic ScaleMatter at the Subatomic Scale

Protons & Neutrons in Nucleus are made of Quarks held together dynamically by the exchange of gluons.

Protons & Neutrons in Nucleus are made of Quarks held together dynamically by the exchange of gluons.

Gluons are active, like springs.

Gluons are active, like springs.

Quarks: Fundamental Constituents of MatterQuarks: Fundamental Constituents of Matter

Quarks cannot exist alone Carry 1/3 of an electric charge Decay if alone Exist only in relationship to other quarks

to create protons, neutrons, atoms,

… all matter

Quarks cannot exist alone Carry 1/3 of an electric charge Decay if alone Exist only in relationship to other quarks

to create protons, neutrons, atoms,

… all matter

All matter, at its most fundamental level, must

exist in relationship to exist at all!

All matter, at its most fundamental level, must

exist in relationship to exist at all!

The Expansion of the UniverseThe Expansion of the UniverseThe universe cooled as it expanded

Particles “condensed” out of the light Light & Matter are the same stuff …

The universe cooled as it expanded Particles “condensed” out of the light Light & Matter are the same stuff …

E=mc2E=mc2

Energy

Energy isis

MatterMatter

Light becomes

Particles …

Particles become Light

All matter is frozen energy!All matter is frozen energy!

The Early UniverseThe Early UniverseUniverse was a sea of light and particles

Protons, neutrons, electrons …

Universe was uniformly bright

Light coming from reactions everywhere …

The universe was opaque

Universe was a sea of light and particles

Protons, neutrons, electrons …

Universe was uniformly bright

Light coming from reactions everywhere …

The universe was opaque

After a few hundred thousand years of cooling, atoms began to

form …

After a few hundred thousand years of cooling, atoms began to

form …

AtomsAtomsNucleus of Protons (+) and Neutrons

(0)

Surrounding cloud of Electrons (-)

Nucleus of Protons (+) and Neutrons (0)

Surrounding cloud of Electrons (-)Electrons’ “orbits”

or “clouds” determined by their

energy

Electrons’ “orbits” or “clouds”

determined by their energy

Atoms & LightAtoms & LightAtoms Absorb and Emit Light

To change electron energy Light energy = energy change

Atoms Absorb and Emit Light To change electron energy

Light energy = energy change

Not all light can interact with every atomNot all light can interact with every atom

Atoms & LightAtoms & LightEach element emits & absorbs a unique spectrumEach element emits & absorbs a unique spectrum

Balmer Spectrum of Hydrogen

Balmer Spectrum of Hydrogen

Lyman Spectrum of Hydrogen in Ultraviolet

Lyman Spectrum of Hydrogen in Ultraviolet

Red in astronomical images is Balmer

Alpha

Red in astronomical images is Balmer

Alpha

The First NightThe First Night

Atoms of Hydrogen (75%) and Helium (25%)

Absorbed some light

Most light traveled freely without interacting with

any matter.

Universe became transparent

Atoms of Hydrogen (75%) and Helium (25%)

Absorbed some light

Most light traveled freely without interacting with

any matter.

Universe became transparent

300,000 years after the Big Bang …

300,000 years after the Big Bang …

…darkness fell for the first time.…darkness fell for the first time.

The Cosmos’ Gift of DarknessThe Cosmos’ Gift of DarknessRequired the “freezing” of the Big Bang

Energy into atoms … matter … us.Required the “freezing” of the Big Bang

Energy into atoms … matter … us.

Requires us to be away from

Galactic Nucleus or star cluster

Requires us to be away from

Galactic Nucleus or star cluster

NGC 253 (NOAO)

We are here

We are here

Darkness Eludes UsDarkness Eludes Us Outdoor lighting tries to

DISPEL THE DARKNESS! Outdoor lighting tries to

DISPEL THE DARKNESS!

Deprives us of the nightthe starsthe dark …

Deprives us of the nightthe starsthe dark …

Darkness Eludes UsDarkness Eludes Us

DenverDenver

Minneapolis

Minneapolis

Potsdam, NY

Potsdam, NY

Seeking DarknessSeeking Darkness

Astronomers and Monastics

• Seek what daylight hides

• Stars, nebulae, galaxies …

• God of the vast darkness …

Astronomers and Monastics

• Seek what daylight hides

• Stars, nebulae, galaxies …

• God of the vast darkness …

“And night to night declares knowledge.”

Psalm 19

“And night to night declares knowledge.”

Psalm 19

Seeking In The Darkness Seeking In The Darkness

One dark night,fired with love’s urgent longings- ah, the sheer grace –I went out unseen,my house being now all stilled.

One dark night,fired with love’s urgent longings- ah, the sheer grace –I went out unseen,my house being now all stilled.

The Dark Night

St. John of the Cross

The Dark Night

St. John of the Cross

Connecting …Connecting …

So what might this weirdness indicate

about God?

So what might this weirdness indicate

about God?