When we step outside into a cloudless night, there are countless starry islands in the sky. Astronomers call these gatherings of stellar objects, stellar remnants, and interstellar gases, Galaxies. The power of gravity binds them by causing them to come together naturally. We cannot help comparing their swirling masses to a generator or electric motor.
The Origin of Starry Islands
There are over two trillion galaxies in the universe, more than we can possibly understand. They all come from the single moment of the creation big bang. In an instant, a tiny speck of matter exploded into a giant network. This was the origin of all space, all matter, all time, all energy, and all starry islands. Fifteen billion years later in the present moment, it continues to expand.
On Earth, gravity gives weight to physical objects. Moreover it causes the restless tides we are learning to harness for electricity from the ocean. In the universe, gravity draws light and gas together forming the beginnings of the stars. Thus, we can say that without gravity there might only be a black hole. But of course, this is not the case. The Milky Way is our starry island and we are part of it.
Our Journey into the World of Galaxies
It took a while for humankind to discover this phenomenon. A Greek philosopher proposed 2,500 years ago that the Milky Way was a gathering of stars. Aristotle thought it was “the fiery exhalation of some stars … in the upper part of the atmosphere.” He was closer than he ever thought.
Two millennia later, the Hubble Telescope opened our minds to the beauty of the starry islands of the galactic world. It is a humbling, yet thrilling experience to be part of this great stellar congregation. It is also wonderful to be able to gaze at our neighbors when we step outside into a cloudless night.
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