Astronomy Picture of the Day 9-17-02

NASA ^ | 9-17-02 | Robert Nemiroff and Jerry Bonnell

[petuniasevan]

Astronomy Picture of the Day

Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.

2002 September 17

A Force from Empty Space: The Casimir Effect
Credit & Copyright: Umar Mohideen (U. California at Riverside)

Explanation: This tiny ball provides evidence that the universe will expand forever. Measuring slightly over one tenth of a millimeter, the ball moves toward a smooth plate in response to energy fluctuations in the vacuum of empty space. The attraction is known as the Casimir Effect, named for its discoverer, who, 50 years ago, was trying to understand why fluids like mayonnaise move so slowly. Today, evidence is accumulating that most of the energy density in the universe is in a unknown form dubbed dark energy. The form and genesis of dark energy is almost completely unknown, but postulated as related to vacuum fluctuations similar to the Casimir Effect but generated somehow by space itself. This vast and mysterious dark energy appears to gravitationally repel all matter and hence will likely cause the universe to expand forever. Understanding vacuum fluctuations is on the forefront of research not only to better understand our universe but also for stopping micro-mechanical machine parts from sticking together.

[Freedom2specul8]

It's a bit advanced for me, (I consider myself a beginner) but definitely not you guys. I hesitate to post stuff like that cuz you guys are so knowledgeable about it.

"I like the concept of beginner's mind...being open to new paradigms even when you don't necessarily know where they will wind up"

That quote is a keeper. :)

[sleavelessinseattle]

Hey, the beauty of this stuff is NOONE knows what's really going on!:-) I feel a lot of empathy for Einstein's fudge factor that he felt was the greatest error of his career and has since been validated experimentally...He jumped ahead of our understanding of the universe by abandoning experimental evidence and creating a "free creation of the mind". I say WTG ALBERT!

[2Trievers]

Then ADD it up ... we both have it ALL! Hehe! &;-)