A void in space.

[OrbitalConfusion]

On my facebook page I have liked a certain page that I cant name due to the use of vulgarity in its name. Its something like this... "I <blanking> love science". They made a post today that has really sparked my interest.

Here is a link to the Science article talking about it.
http://www.newscientist.com/article...in-space-is-1-billion-light-years-across.html

Anyone care to discuss this? These voids are very interesting to say the least. What would happen if a spacecraft entered one? Are there many more out there of the same appreciable size waiting to be found? Why are they there?!!?! AHHH! WHHHYY!?!

 

[Izack]

What would happen if a spacecraft entered one?

To a spacecraft, one area of the intergalactic void is just as empty as any other, I assume.

 

[Proximus]

Pockets of dark energy?
Holes in the ether?
Bruises in the brain from collisions with other dimensions?

Only the probe knows for sure

 

[sorindafabico]

What would happen if a spacecraft entered one?

Less chance of collision with debris.

 

[Artlav]

What would happen if a spacecraft entered one?

It would get lonely and leave.

 

[RisingFury]

If I understand this correctly, they're talking about the distribution of galaxies and galaxy clusters. After the Big Bang, one would expect an even distribution of matter. We know for a fact that it's not exactly even - it also must not be even for galaxies to be able to form. We know for a fact that matter isn't evenly distributed because we've seen fluctuations in the cosmic background radiation.

The red and yellow areas are where the matter was denser, the deep blue areas are void of matter.

The dense spots become galaxies and galaxy clusters, the empty spots become void of matter, because gravity cleared those areas and sucked up all the matter to other places.

Now, if you look the actual distribution statistically, you'd expect certain places where the matter is dense and certain places where it's void. What's surprising about these large voids is that there's at the upper range of what's statistically expected.

It could just be an anomaly due to statistics not ever being 100% accurate or it could be a hint that there's something else going on that we don't understand that is creating such voids.

 

[jedidia]

These voids are very interesting to say the least. What would happen if a spacecraft entered one

There's nothing magical or special about nothing, really. The Universe consists mostly of nothing, and these voids are just places where there's nothing over an even larger volume than the already inconceivable ammount of nothing we have between normally "spaced" galaxies. I would love to make some kind of anology, like "it would be like sailing on the oceasn instead of in a lake" just doesn't really fit. It's more like "it's like sailing on an ocean where you can't see land anywhere, just in a bigger ocean". I.E. there's just more of it (strange of talking about nothing as something, really), but it wouldn't immediately feel or behave any different. Except, of course...

it could be a hint that there's something else going on that we don't understand that is creating such voids.

BAM-BAM-BAAAAAAAAAAAM! :lol:

 

[OrbitalConfusion]

I know this seems like a very un-interesting subject. I guess it really is for the most part. I think the reason im so into it is because of the search for Dark Matter. The distribution of the cosmos and the biggest question of are we alone? Were there other civilizations before us? Is there some type of roadblock these civilizations could not overcome? Its the big questions.. Questions I will not see answered in my lifetime I suppose.

 

[TMac3000]

Wasn't there a Star Trek episode about this?

 

[Keatah]

many episodes, maybe 10 or 12.

 

[TMac3000]

I'm talking about one of the earliest episodes: "Where Silence Has Lease"
Loved that one:thumbup: