Abstract
Cosmology rests on two hypotheses: that the universe is homogeneous and that it is isotropic, on large scales. The verification of these hypotheses is therefore essential. Homogeneity is guaranteed if it is confirmed that the universe is isotropic at all points. Observations allow us to draw conclusions about the isotropy only from our Galaxy, and this is not sufficient to prove global homogeneity. The universe may be strongly inhomogeneous but nevertheless have a spherical symmetry. An observer situated at the centre of this distribution would see an isotropic universe and conclude, falsely, that it is homogeneous. But for others, situated elsewhere, it would appear anisotropic. It is therefore useful to introduce the so-called Copernican principle, which states that we are not privileged observers in the universe. The verification of isotropy is therefore sufficient to guarantee the homogeneity of the universe.
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© 1995 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
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Combes, F., Boissé, P., Mazure, A., Blanchard, A. (1995). Cosmology. In: Galaxies and Cosmology. Astronomy and Astrophysics Library. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-03190-2_14
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-03190-2_14
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