Abstract
We inhabit an expanding universe. But it’s not expanding at any old rate. If it did so more slowly than it does, then all the matter within it would be subject to the relentless grip of gravity, and we’d wind up with a cosmos littered only with black holes. If, on the other hand, the expansion was more rapid, then gravity’s grip would have no teeth, and all we’d see is an amorphous cloud of gas and dust. Only by expanding at its current rate—neither too fast nor too slow—can a universe with stars, planets and living creatures co-exist.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2014 Springer Science+Business Media New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
English, N. (2014). The Spring Galaxies. In: Grab 'n' Go Astronomy. The Patrick Moore Practical Astronomy Series. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-0826-4_8
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-0826-4_8
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY
Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-0825-7
Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-0826-4
eBook Packages: Physics and AstronomyPhysics and Astronomy (R0)