could there be more than we think there are?

is it possible that there are galaxies so far away that they're light has not reached us yet?

Why not? It is likely that every time an improved telescope is build we shall continue to see more and more of the universe.

Originally posted by DarkSide
is it possible that there are galaxies so far away that they're light has not reached us yet?

That is a good question, however if the universe is simply the "known universe," and any light not reaching us is simply from an unknown quantity of the universe."

Originally posted by Jonna
Why not? It is likely that every time an improved telescope is build we shall continue to see more and more of the universe.

The point about light reaching us yet, because of distance transversing to us is intriguing. The point about light not reaching us because we need better instruments is another distinct idea.

[edit on 22-9-2004 by SkipShipman]

Originally posted by SkipShipman
The point about light not reaching us because we need better instruments is another distinct idea.

The point was not about light not reaching us, but rather about our means (eyes, instruments, etc) being able to detect faint light and see said galaxies. Thus our percieved reality is that it is not reaching us.

First of all, how far does light actually travel. That is probably going to have to be measured by the powerage of Light. Watts*** not sure in what power level light comes in ... but anyways .. then if light actually goes any further or do you actually have to look at it and when it disapears ... What does it turn into ? Does it just dissapear ?

Originally posted by Jonna
Why not? It is likely that every time an improved telescope is build we shall continue to see more and more of the universe.

no what I mean is that their light has not reached us yet so no matter how powerful your telescope is you can't see it if the light didn' reach us yet

Originally posted by DarkSide
is it possible that there are galaxies so far away that they're light has not reached us yet?

Yes, a lot of galaxies at this moment are actually receding away from us at speeds greater than the speed of light. Since they are receding at speeds > c, their light will never reach us.

These galaxies are very distant though. And it also is true for them. We are receding at speeds > c away from them, so they will never see us!
This is all because of the expansion of space-time.

They say that eventually in a very distant future, even our neighboring galaxies will be so far out that even they will be receding at speeds > c relative to us.

As the space-time stretches, the distance between the galaxies increases, and as the distance increases between two galaxies, their receding velocities relative to each other also increase greatly.

Reading:
curious.astro.cornell.edu...
www.arxiv.org...


[edit on 22-9-2004 by jp1111]