Saturday, April 16, 2022

Biography of the Star Earendel

Environmental & Science Education, STEM, Cosmology, Universe, Astrophysics, History of Science, Nature of Science

Ed Hessler (CfA

Edges--habitat, ecosystem, geographic, planetary, solar system are fascinating and complex places where boundaries are not so clear as those drawn with pen and pencil. One of the most puzzling to non-scientists is the so-called edge of the universe. It is still puzzling to scientists but differently.  Everything in our personal experience, well, almost, has edges so the universe must have one so our logic goes. So what is it like there and, of course, what is beyond this edge? Again, personal experience tells us that there is always something beyond an edge. 

Here is a brief answer to this cosmic question from Harvard's Center for  Astrophysics (CfA), Theoretical astro-physicist Ethan Siegel calls attention to an edge but it is different from what we expect. See his post on this question on his blog "Starts With a Bang." And here I'll stop since I'm already way beyond my paygrade, a way of saying my understanding or its possibility.

Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD) in one of its posts provides insight without ever mentioning such a question by focusing on data about the star Earendel which "may be the farthest star yet discovered." The labeled photo and explanation are top-of-the line and what a story it is, one of curiosity. science, technology, engineering, computing, and evidence based on current data.

 

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