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Chapter 23: Problem 50

Describe how the appearance of the night sky might change if dark matter were visible to our eyes.

Short Answer

Expert verified
If dark matter became visible, the night sky would appear far more crowded, considering dark matter makes up roughly 85% of the universe's total matter. Additionally, the visual confirmation of dark matter might revolutionize our understanding of the universe and its structures.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding Dark Matter

Firstly, based on current scientific understanding, dark matter is a form of matter that doesn't interact with electromagnetic forces. It doesn't emit or absorb light, hence the term 'dark'. It is estimated to make about 85% of the total matter in the Universe.
02

Imagining the Visibility of Dark Matter

Suppose dark matter become visible, it would significantly increase the number of observable entities in the night sky because of its abundance in the universe. As current astronomical observations only account for visible matter, the sky might appear more 'crowded'.
03

Implications of Visible Dark Matter

It is important to note that the appearance of the night sky would not be the only thing that changes. Visibility of dark matter would illuminate the gravitational effects it has on galaxies and galaxy clusters, which is currently one of the few ways we have to infer its presence. It could potentially revolutionize our understanding of the universe.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

The galactic halo is dominated by Population II stars, whereas the galactic disk contains predominantly Population I stars. In which of these parts of the Galaxy has star formation taken place recently? Explain.

Do density waves form a stationary pattern in a galaxy? If not, do they move more rapidly, less rapidly, or at the same speed as stars in the disk?

Consider a star that orbits around Sagittarius \(A^{*}\) in a circular orbit of radius \(530 \mathrm{AU}\). (a) If the star's orbital speed is \(2500 \mathrm{~km} / \mathrm{s}\), what is its orbital period? Give your answer in years. (b) Determine the sum of the masses of Sagittarius A* and the star. Give your answer in solar masses. (Your answer is an estimate of the mass of Sagittarius A*, because the mass of a single star is negligibly small by comparison.)

In our Galaxy, why are stars of spectral classes \(\mathrm{O}\) and \(\mathrm{B}\) only found in or near the spiral arms? Is the same true for stars of other spectral classes? Explain why or why not.

Why don't astronomers detect \(21-\mathrm{cm}\) radiation from the hydrogen in giant molecular clouds?
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