Position: 05h 40m, –02°, 27", distance from Earth: 1,600 light years; device/year: WFC3/IR, 2012.

M83, or the Southern Pinwheel Galaxy, is a barred spiral galaxy in the constellation Hydra

Position: 13h 37m, –29°, 51", distance from Earth: 15,000,000 light years, device/year: WFC3/UVIS, 2009–2012.

Position: 18h 18m, –13°, 49", distance from Earth: 6,500 light years, instrument/year: WFC3/IR, 2014.

The book is called Expanding Universe and is dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the launch of Hubble. The Hubble photographs published in this book are not just breathtaking images, they are also an opportunity to learn more about space exploration. The book includes an essay by a photography critic, an interview with a specialist who explains exactly how these images are created, and two stories by astronauts about the role this unique telescope plays in space exploration.

RS Puppis is a variable star in the constellation Puppis

Position: 08h 13m, –34°, 34", distance from Earth: 6,500 light years, instrument/year: ACS/WFC, 2010.

M82, or the Cigar Galaxy, is a spiral galaxy in the constellation Ursa Major

Position: 09h 55m, +69° 40", distance from Earth: 12,000,000 light years, device/year: ACS/WFC, 2006.

M16, or the Eagle Nebula, is a young open star cluster in the constellation Serpens.

Position: 18h 18m, –13°, 49", distance from Earth: 6,500 light years, instrument/year: WFC3/UVIS, 2014.

Due to the fact that the telescope is located in space, it can detect radiation in the infrared range, which is completely impossible to do from the surface of the Earth. Therefore, Hubble's resolution is 7-10 times greater than that of a similar telescope located on the surface of our planet. For example, among other things, scientists for the first time obtained maps of the surface of Pluto, learned additional data about planets outside the solar system, they managed to make significant progress in the study of such mysterious black holes in the centers of galaxies, and also, which seems completely incredible, they were able to formulate the modern cosmological model and find out a more accurate age of the Universe (13.7 billion years).

Jupiter and its moon Ganymede

Sharpless 2-106, or the Snow Angel Nebula in the constellation Cygnus

Position: 20h 27m, +37°, 22", distance from Earth: 2,000 light years, device/year: Subaru, Telescope, 1999; WFC3/UVIS, WFC3/IR, 2011.

M16, or the Eagle Nebula, is a young open star cluster in the constellation Serpens.

Position: 18h 18m, –13°, 49", distance from Earth: 6,500 light years, instrument/year: ACS/WFC, 2004.

HCG 92, or Stephen's Quintet, is a group of five galaxies in the constellation Pegasus

Position: 22h 35m, +33°, 57", distance from Earth: 290,000,000 light years, device/year: WFC3/UVIS, 2009.

In the section on the question What is the difference between space and the universe? given by the author Yergey Bogdanov the best answer is The universe is the totality of everything that physically exists.
Outer space - relatively empty areas of the Universe that lie outside the boundaries of the atmospheres of celestial bodies
Space is the world as a whole, world order, an ordered Universe as opposed to chaos...
i.e. there is no conceptual difference))
Source: good luck!!:):)

Answer from chevron[guru]
there are many universes in space

Answer from philosopher[newbie]
Space is the visible part of the universe, that is, what we see. The universe has no boundaries.

Answer from Valery Zubarev[guru]
Dear friend!! ! The difference between these concepts... is very significant.... the universe is part of the cosmos.... we live in the 16th aggregator... which includes 4 universes... two positive and two negative.... and the whole cosmos is just huge... there are also aggregators... then middle space... more higher worlds... then the worlds of the Creator's deputies... there are 7 of them... and then the world of the Creator.... and the Creator himself.... something like this...

Answer from Unpardonable[guru]
The Universe is a fundamental concept of astronomy, not strictly defined, it includes the entire surrounding world
Cosmos - structure, world, universe, creation, material world.
No difference

Those who have a little idea about the Universe are well aware that the cosmos is constantly in motion. The universe is expanding every second, becoming larger and larger. Another thing is that on the scale of human perception of the world, it is quite difficult to understand the size of what is happening and imagine the structure of the Universe. In addition to our galaxy, in which the Sun is located and we are located, there are dozens, hundreds of other galaxies. No one knows the exact number of distant worlds. How many galaxies are in the Universe can only be known approximately by creating a mathematical model of the cosmos.

Therefore, given the size of the Universe, we can easily assume that tens, hundreds of billions of light years from Earth, there are worlds similar to ours.

Space and worlds that surround us

Our galaxy, which received beautiful name The Milky Way, a few centuries ago, according to many scientists, was the center of the universe. In fact, it turned out that this is only part of the Universe, and there are other galaxies various types and sizes, large and small, some further, others closer.

In space, all objects are closely interconnected, move in a certain order and occupy an allotted place. Planets known to us, well-known stars, black holes and our own solar system located in the Milky Way galaxy. The name is not accidental. Even ancient astronomers, observing the night sky, compared the space around us to a milk track, where thousands of stars look like drops of milk. The Milky Way Galaxy, the celestial galactic objects in our field of vision, make up the nearby cosmos. What may be beyond the visibility of telescopes became known only in the 20th century.

Subsequent discoveries, which expanded our cosmos to the size of the Metagalaxy, led scientists to the theory of the Big Bang. A grandiose cataclysm occurred almost 15 billion years ago and served as an impetus for the beginning of the processes of formation of the Universe. One stage of the substance was replaced by another. From dense clouds of hydrogen and helium, the first beginnings of the Universe began to form - protogalaxies consisting of stars. All this happened in the distant past. The light of many celestial bodies, which we can observe in the strongest telescopes, is only a farewell greeting. Millions of stars, if not billions, that dotted our sky are located a billion light years from Earth, and have long ceased to exist.

Map of the Universe: nearest and farthest neighbors

Our Solar System and other cosmic bodies observed from Earth are relatively young structural formations and our closest neighbors in the vast Universe. For a long time, scientists believed that the dwarf galaxy closest to the Milky Way was the Large Magellanic Cloud, located only 50 kiloparsecs. Only very recently have the real neighbors of our galaxy become known. In the constellation Sagittarius and in the constellation Canis Major small dwarf galaxies are located, the mass of which is 200-300 times less than the mass of the Milky Way, and the distance to them is just over 30-40 thousand light years.

These are one of the smallest universal objects. In such galaxies the number of stars is relatively small (on the order of several billion). As a rule, dwarf galaxies gradually merge or are absorbed by larger formations. The speed of the expanding Universe, which is 20-25 km/s, will unwittingly lead neighboring galaxies to a collision. When this will happen and how it will turn out, we can only guess. The collision of galaxies is happening all this time, and due to the transience of our existence, it is not possible to observe what is happening.

Andromeda, two to three times the size of our galaxy, is one of the closest galaxies to us. It continues to be one of the most popular among astronomers and astrophysicists and is located just 2.52 million light years from Earth. Like our galaxy, Andromeda is a member of the Local Group of galaxies. The size of this giant cosmic stadium is three million light years across, and the number of galaxies present in it is about 500. However, even such a giant as Andromeda looks short in comparison with the galaxy IC 1101.

This largest spiral galaxy in the Universe is located more than a hundred million light years away and has a diameter of more than 6 million light years. Despite containing 100 trillion stars, the galaxy is primarily composed of dark matter.

Astrophysical parameters and types of galaxies

The first space explorations carried out at the beginning of the 20th century provided plenty of food for thought. The cosmic nebulae discovered through the lens of the telescope, of which more than a thousand were eventually counted, were most interesting objects in the Universe. Long time these bright spots in the night sky were considered to be gas accumulations that were part of the structure of our galaxy. Edwin Hubble in 1924 managed to measure the distance to a cluster of stars and nebulae and made a sensational discovery: these nebulae are nothing more than distant spiral galaxies, independently wandering across the scale of the Universe.

An American astronomer was the first to suggest that our Universe is made up of many galaxies. Space exploration in the last quarter of the 20th century, observations made using spacecraft and technology, including the famous Hubble telescope, confirmed these assumptions. Space is limitless and our Milky Way is far from the largest galaxy in the Universe and, moreover, is not its center.

Only with the advent of powerful technical means of observation, the Universe began to take on clear outlines. Scientists are faced with the fact that even such huge formations as galaxies can differ in their structure and structure, shape and size.

Through the efforts of Edwin Hubble, the world received a systematic classification of galaxies, dividing them into three types:

• spiral;
• elliptical;
• incorrect.

Elliptical and spiral galaxies are the most common types. These include our Milky Way galaxy, as well as our neighboring Andromeda galaxy and many other galaxies in the Universe.

Elliptical galaxies have the shape of an ellipse and are elongated in one direction. These objects lack sleeves and often change their shape. These objects also differ from each other in size. Unlike spiral galaxies, these cosmic monsters do not have a clearly defined center. There is no core in such structures.

According to the classification, such galaxies are designated by the Latin letter E. All currently known elliptical galaxies are divided into subgroups E0-E7. The distribution into subgroups is carried out depending on the configuration: from almost circular galaxies (E0, E1 and E2) to highly elongated objects with indices E6 and E7. Among the elliptical galaxies there are dwarfs and true giants with diameters of millions of light years.

There are two subtypes of spiral galaxies:

• galaxies presented in the form of a crossed spiral;
• normal spirals.

The first subtype stands out the following features. In shape, such galaxies resemble a regular spiral, but in the center of such a spiral galaxy there is a bridge (bar), giving rise to arms. Such bridges in a galaxy are usually the result of physical centrifugal processes that divide the galactic core into two parts. There are galaxies with two nuclei, the tandem of which makes up the central disk. When the nuclei meet, the bridge disappears and the galaxy becomes normal, with one center. There is also a bridge in our Milky Way galaxy, in one of the arms of which our Solar system is located. From the Sun to the center of the galaxy the path is along modern estimates is 27 thousand light years. The thickness of the Orion Cygnus arm, in which our Sun and our planet reside, is 700 thousand light years.

In accordance with the classification, spiral galaxies are designated by the Latin letters Sb. Depending on the subgroup, there are other designations for spiral galaxies: Dba, Sba and Sbc. The difference between the subgroups is determined by the length of the bar, its shape and the configuration of the sleeves.

Spiral galaxies can range in size from 20,000 light-years to 100,000 light-years in diameter. Our Milky Way galaxy is in the “golden mean”, its size gravitating toward medium-sized galaxies.

The rarest type is irregular galaxies. These universal objects are large clusters of stars and nebulae that do not have a clear shape or structure. In accordance with the classification, they received the indices Im and IO. As a rule, structures of the first type do not have a disk or it is weakly expressed. Often such galaxies can be seen to have similar arms. Galaxies with IO indices are a chaotic collection of stars, clouds of gas and dark matter. Outstanding representatives Such groups of galaxies are the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds.

All galaxies: regular and irregular, elliptical and spiral, consist of trillions of stars. The space between stars and their planetary systems is filled with dark matter or clouds of cosmic gas and dust particles. In the spaces between these voids there are black holes, large and small, which disturb the idyll of cosmic tranquility.

Based on the existing classification and research results, we can answer with some confidence the question of how many galaxies there are in the Universe and what type they are. There are more spiral galaxies in the Universe. They constitute more than 55% of the total number of all universal objects. There are half as many elliptical galaxies - only 22% of total number. There are only 5% of irregular galaxies similar to the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds in the Universe. Some galaxies are neighboring us and are in the field of view of the most powerful telescopes. Others are in the farthest space, where dark matter predominates and the blackness of endless space is more visible in the lens.

Galaxies up close

All galaxies belong to certain groups that are modern science are usually called clusters. The Milky Way is part of one of these clusters, which contains up to 40 more or less known galaxies. The cluster itself is part of a supercluster, a larger group of galaxies. The Earth, along with the Sun and the Milky Way, is part of the Virgo supercluster. This is our actual cosmic address. Together with our galaxy, there are more than two thousand other galaxies in the Virgo cluster, elliptical, spiral and irregular.

The map of the Universe, which astronomers rely on today, gives an idea of ​​what the Universe looks like, what its shape and structure are. All clusters gather around voids or bubbles of dark matter. It is possible that dark matter and bubbles are also filled with some objects. Perhaps this is antimatter, which, contrary to the laws of physics, forms similar structures in a different coordinate system.

Current and future state of galaxies

Scientists believe that it is impossible to create a general portrait of the Universe. We have visual and mathematical data about the cosmos that is within our understanding. The real scale of the Universe is impossible to imagine. What we see through a telescope is starlight that has been coming to us for billions of years. Perhaps the real picture today is completely different. As a result of cosmic cataclysms, the most beautiful galaxies in the Universe could already turn into empty and ugly clouds of cosmic dust and dark matter.

It cannot be ruled out that in the distant future, our galaxy will collide with a larger neighbor in the Universe or swallow a dwarf galaxy existing next door. What will be the consequences of such universal changes remains to be seen. Despite the fact that the convergence of galaxies occurs at the speed of light, earthlings are unlikely to witness a universal catastrophe. Mathematicians have calculated that just over three billion Earth years are left before the fatal collision. Whether life will exist on our planet at that time is a question.

Other forces can also interfere with the existence of stars, clusters and galaxies. Black holes, which are still known to man, are capable of swallowing a star. Where is the guarantee that such monsters of enormous size, hiding in dark matter and in the voids of space, will not be able to swallow the galaxy entirely?

We see the starry sky all the time. Space seems mysterious and vast, and we are only a tiny part of this huge world, mysterious and silent.

All our lives humanity has been asked various questions. What is there, beyond our galaxy? Is there something beyond the boundaries of space? And is there a limit to space? Even scientists have been pondering these questions for a long time. Is space infinite? This article provides information that scientists currently have.

Boundaries of the Infinite

It is believed that our solar system was formed as a result of the Big Bang. It occurred due to strong compression of matter and tore it apart, scattering gases in different directions. This explosion gave life to galaxies and solar systems. The Milky Way was previously thought to be 4.5 billion years old. However, in 2013, the Planck telescope allowed scientists to recalculate the age of the Solar System. It is now estimated to be 13.82 billion years old.

The most modern technology cannot cover the entire cosmos. Although the latest devices are capable of catching the light of stars 15 billion light years away from our planet! These may even be stars that have already died, but their light still travels through space.

Our solar system is only a small part of a huge galaxy called the Milky Way. The Universe itself contains thousands of similar galaxies. And whether space is infinite is unknown...

The fact that the Universe is constantly expanding, forming more and more cosmic bodies, is scientific fact. Its appearance is probably constantly changing, which is why millions of years ago, some scientists are sure, it looked completely different than it does today. And if the Universe is growing, then it definitely has boundaries? How many Universes exist behind it? Alas, no one knows this.

Expansion of space

Today scientists claim that space is expanding very quickly. Faster than they previously thought. Due to the expansion of the Universe, exoplanets and galaxies are moving away from us at different speeds. But at the same time, the rate of its growth is the same and uniform. It’s just that these bodies are located at different distances from us. Thus, the star closest to the Sun “runs away” from our Earth at a speed of 9 cm/s.

Now scientists are looking for an answer to another question. What causes the Universe to expand?

Dark matter and dark energy

Dark matter is a hypothetical substance. It does not produce energy or light, but occupies 80% of the space. Scientists suspected the presence of this elusive substance in space back in the 50s of the last century. Although there was no direct evidence of its existence, there were more and more supporters of this theory every day. Perhaps it contains substances unknown to us.

How did the dark matter theory come about? The fact is that galaxy clusters would have collapsed long ago if their mass consisted only of materials visible to us. As a result, it turns out that most of our world is represented by an elusive substance that is still unknown to us.

In 1990, so-called dark energy was discovered. After all, physicists used to think that the force of gravity works to slow down, and one day the expansion of the Universe will stop. But both teams that set out to study this theory unexpectedly discovered an acceleration in expansion. Imagine throwing an apple into the air and waiting for it to fall, but instead it starts moving away from you. This suggests that the expansion is influenced by a certain force, which has been called dark energy.

Today, scientists are tired of arguing about whether space is infinite or not. They are trying to understand what the Universe looked like before the Big Bang. However, this question makes no sense. After all, time and space themselves are also infinite. So, let's look at several theories of scientists about space and its borders.

Infinity is...

Such a concept as “infinity” is one of the most amazing and relative concepts. It has long been of interest to scientists. IN real world In which we live, everything has an end, including life. Therefore, infinity attracts with its mystery and even a certain mysticism. Infinity is difficult to imagine. But it exists. After all, it is with its help that many problems are solved, and not only mathematical ones.

Infinity and zero

Many scientists believe in the theory of infinity. However, Israeli mathematician Doron Selberger does not share their opinion. He claims that there is a huge number and if you add one to it, the end result will be zero. However given number lies so far beyond human understanding that its existence will never be proven. It is on this fact that the mathematical philosophy called “Ultra-infinity” is based.

Infinite space

Is there a chance that adding two identical numbers will result in the same number? At first glance this seems absolutely impossible, but if we're talking about about the Universe... According to scientists' calculations, when you subtract one from infinity, you get infinity. When two infinities are added, infinity comes out again. But if you subtract infinity from infinity, you will most likely get one.

Ancient scientists also wondered whether there was a boundary to space. Their logic was simple and at the same time brilliant. Their theory is expressed as follows. Imagine that you have reached the edge of the Universe. They extended their hand beyond its border. However, the boundaries of the world have expanded. And so on endlessly. It's very difficult to imagine. But it is even more difficult to imagine what exists beyond its border, if it really exists.

Thousands of worlds

This theory states that space is infinite. There are probably millions, billions of other galaxies in it that contain billions of other stars. After all, if you think broadly, everything in our life begins again and again - films follow one after another, life, ending in one person, begins in another.

In world science today the concept of a multicomponent Universe is considered generally accepted. But how many Universes are there? None of us know this. Other galaxies may contain completely different celestial bodies. These worlds are governed by completely different laws of physics. But how to prove their presence experimentally?

This can only be done by discovering the interaction between our Universe and others. This interaction occurs through certain wormholes. But how to find them? One of the latest assumptions by scientists is that such a hole exists right in the center of our solar system.

Scientists suggest that if space is infinite, somewhere in its vastness there is a twin of our planet, and perhaps the entire solar system.

Another dimension

Another theory says that the size of space has limits. The thing is that we see the nearest one as it was a million years ago. Even further means even earlier. It is not space that is expanding, it is space that is expanding. If we can exceed the speed of light and go beyond the boundaries of space, we will find ourselves in the past state of the Universe.

What lies beyond this notorious border? Perhaps another dimension, without space and time, that our consciousness can only imagine.

> Interesting Facts about the universe

10 most interesting facts about the Universe and space: initial temperature, diameter, shape features, the mystery of dark matter and dark energy, where to look for the center.

Do you think you are familiar with Universe and her secrets? We are offering to you top 10 interesting facts that may surprise you.

1. Was hotter when I was younger

Among scientists, most agree with the Big Bang theory. Confirmation was received when cosmic microwave background radiation was discovered. Of course, we can't see the moment with our own eyes, but extrapolation proves that the Universe was infinitely hot at the beginning and began to cool as it expanded.

Researchers believe that in the first minutes of expansion the temperature reached a billion Kelvin. But in the first second there are 10 billion Kelvins. So that you understand, today these indicators are 2.725 Kelvin.

With old age comes cold

Tracking the most distant galaxies confirms that the expansion of the Universe is accelerating. If we add information about constant cooling, we get the final result in the form of a Big Freeze.

This means that the space will be deprived of useful heat (energy) and all movement will stop. This is also supported by the readings of WMAP (studies cosmic microwave background radiation).

The diameter of the Universe is 150 billion light years

Of course, such a figure can be confusing, since it differs greatly from age. But everything can be explained by the acceleration of expansion.

Age – 13.7 billion years

If you don’t believe it, then know that these calculations are reliable with an accuracy of 1%. Thanks to WMAP, which studies the cosmic microwave background radiation. Older methods also confirm a similar number, along with measurements of the ages of stars in the oldest clusters.

The Earth is round, but the Universe is not

Based on Einstein's general theory of relativity, we can talk about three possible forms of the Universe: open, closed and flat. And here WMAP comes into play again, confirming the latter option. If we combine the form with the concept of dark energy, we get the most possible prognosis the end of everything - the Big Freeze.

Large scale structures

If you zoom in as far as possible, you will notice that the Universe is represented by threads, voids, superclusters, groups and clusters. The latter unite into superclusters, and they can form walls that are part of the filaments. Places without anything are called voids. CMBR measurements confirm that the space is full in some parts and empty in others.

A huge part remains invisible to us

Using wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum (radio waves, visible light, infrared and x-rays), it was possible to see remote places. We still lack the power to look deeper. But we can believe there's something else out there based on temperature distributions, gravitational lensing, orbital velocities, and galactic rotation rates. This also confirmed the presence of dark matter. And dark energy is responsible for accelerating the distance of galaxies.

The universe has no center

No. Of course, the Earth is not located at the center of everything. Moreover, we don't even occupy the center of the galaxy. And yes, the Milky Way is not in the central part either. There is no point in looking for this place, since the Universe is devoid of a center.

Objects are in a hurry to move away from each other

Galaxies do not stop moving away. Until the latest discoveries, it was believed that one day everything could end with a Big Rip (everything, even atoms, would be destroyed). This theory was based on the accelerated rate of expansion. Scientists thought it would last forever and cause everything to break apart.

To understand everything, you need to study elements smaller than an atom

Researchers wanted to find out where it all began, so they began to peer into the past, finding smaller and smaller structures. They understood that they would encounter a young and hot Universe, with high density, small size and an incredibly large energy reserve.

It turns out that we are again returning to the study of elementary particles, which contribute to the study of the appearance of everything.

Now you know 10 interesting facts about the Universe. But this is just the beginning! The Universe is infinite space, filled with amazing mysterious celestial bodies, like black holes, pulsars and neutron stars. Sometimes there are stars and planets that can shock you with their behavior or appearance. In addition, scientists do not lose hope of finding life beyond the Earth. Therefore, follow the interesting links on the site and explore the vastness of the Universe with us.