The Infinite Expanse: Marveling at the Sizes of the Universe
By Kiya McClenton
Today, technology is so advanced that scientists can use mathematics and planetariums to measure the distances of different objects and planets in space. On Feb. 12, 2024, I got the opportunity to see these methods applied in real-time after attending the Chaffey event “The Infinite Expanse: Marveling at the Sizes of the Universe," hosted by Professor Bradley Hughes and Professor Morgan Rea at the Chaffey Planetarium on the Rancho Cucamonga campus, with Professor Andrew Zwissler controlling the planetarium projectors.
The event began with our hosts introducing themselves, and then getting into the presentation shortly thereafter. Once the lights dimmed, the audience looked up to see the starry night skies, which then switched to an image of a pinned location in Chicago, Illinois. As the map expanded away from Earth, Professor Hughes guided the audience through the different distances between Earth and other space objects.
From the sun to distances as far out as the known Universe, the audience got to visually see just how far these distances are. Professor Hughes explained that these distances are measured using logarithms to calculate astronomical units. Professor Hughes and Rea went on to guide the audience through a worksheet breaking down how to calculate astronomical units and lightyears. Hughes further explained that because these distances are so enormous, astronomers simplify them with logarithms and measurements in meters or kilometers.
Astronomers often run into resolution errors whilst calculating certain distances. This error occurs depending on the technology used to measure the distances, as some are unable to calculate the enormous numbers.
To provide context to the distances discussed, the professor used several real-life objects as examples. He explained how the space probe Voyager 1 was sent to space in 1977 and didn’t make it out of our solar system until 2013. The audience also learned that it would take about 18,000 years to get to the next solar system.
As the event ended, I gathered insights from the professors regarding astronomy and technological advancement. When asked what he thought were scientists' next steps in space exploration, Professor Hughes shared that being able to view more of the universe could be next for scientists.
Professor Zwissler went on to confirm that only 5% of the Universe is actually seen by our current technology. There is dark matter in space that light bends around due to gravity, but it cannot be seen by the naked eye. Professor Hughes explained that this dark energy speeds up the expansion of space. Finding methods and developments to view more of the universe could be a huge step for scientists to determine what else this energy is affecting.
Professor Rea went on to state that learning the shape of the universe is a question she hopes astronomers can find out in the future. As stated before, with the enormity of the universe, it is still undetermined what exactly the universe is shaped like.
Finally, the discovery of exoplanets, or planets that orbit around a star outside of our own solar system, and their habitability is something that Professor Hughes also hopes scientists will learn more about. The first exoplanet was discovered in 1995, and now over 5,000 have been discovered today, with several of them being found just last month. The professor explained that although there have been thousands of exoplanets discovered, it cannot be fully determined whether these planets are habitable or not due to other elements, such as the lack of a sustainable atmosphere.
Because scientists find themselves too far away to determine these characteristics, they must use different means of observation for the different measurements. The example used for this was neutrino telescopes, which are used by astronomers to measure neutrinos, a neutral subatomic particle that has a mass close to zero and is otherwise undetectable to the naked eye.
This event was a great opportunity to understand how scientists use mathematics and technology to measure distances in space. Being able to visually see these great distances through our campus’ very own planetarium was a very eye-opening experience in understanding just how ginormous the Universe is.