How Objects Which Don't Exist Fooled Astronomers Jeff Schmitz Object Computing, Inc. @iamtheschmitzer

About Astronomy Study celestial objects Observe electro-magnetic spectrum

Study celestial objects

Observe electro-magnetic spectrum

Ancient Astronomy

Plato and Aristotle An ancient view of the universe

Unchangeable Beyond the planets, the universe is constant

Beyond the planets, the universe is constant

Perfection Planets were perfect spheres moving in perfect circles

Planets were perfect spheres moving in perfect circles

Comprised of Five Elements Moon, stars, and planets were made of a fifth element, named aether The other four were corruptible

Moon, stars, and planets were made of a fifth element, named aether

The other four were corruptible

Geocentric Earth in center of universe Questioned, but PROVEN repeatedly Parallax

Earth in center of universe

Questioned, but PROVEN repeatedly

Parallax

Early Modern Astronomy

Early Modern Astronomy

Copernicus Observed retrograde planetary motion

Observed retrograde planetary motion

Retrograde Motion

Copernican Theory Earth moves around the sun Explain retrograde motion Correct

Earth moves around the sun

Explain retrograde motion

Correct

Copernican Model Sun at center of universe Wrong Planets moving in perfect circles Wrong

Sun at center of universe

Wrong

Planets moving in perfect circles

Wrong

(and later) Copernican Principle The Earth is at no place special in universe There is no place special Maybe

The Earth is at no place special in universe

There is no place special

Maybe

Modern Astronomy

Observing Galaxies Emissions are sum of emissions from member stars

Emissions are sum of emissions from member stars

Active Galaxies Has emissions which can't be accounted for by stars in galaxy Emit radio waves (and other wavelengths)‏ Take several forms

Has emissions which can't be accounted for by stars in galaxy

Emit radio waves (and other wavelengths)‏

Take several forms

One Anomaly Some active galaxies did not fit the model Emitting enormous amounts of energy Looked like an ordinary star through a telescope

Some active galaxies did not fit the model

Emitting enormous amounts of energy

Looked like an ordinary star through a telescope

Powerful, “Small” Energy Sources 1/1,000,000 th size of host galaxy Emits energy of thousands of galaxies Equivalent to lighting Los Angeles A flashlight

1/1,000,000 th size of host galaxy

Emits energy of thousands of galaxies

Equivalent to

Quasars Named quasi-stellar radio sources ~200,000 identified

Named quasi-stellar radio sources

~200,000 identified

Quasars: Extreme Objects Extremely Bright Luminosity of > 2 trillion suns

Extremely Bright

Luminosity of > 2 trillion suns

Quasars: Extreme Objects Extremely massive Mass of 1 billion suns 1,989,100,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 kg

Extremely massive

Mass of 1 billion suns

1,989,100,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 kg

Quasars: Extreme Objects Extremely far away 3+ billion light years away Among the furthest objects ever detected

Extremely far away

3+ billion light years away

Among the furthest objects ever detected

Exciting, But Troubling There are no quasars near earth Just a shell around it Violates Copernican Principle

There are no quasars near earth

Just a shell around it

Violates Copernican Principle

Except Quasars don't exist anymore Remnants of the early universe The shell in which they appear represents their lifetime Concept known as Event horizon Earlier quasars would have to be further away for us to be in their event horizon > age of universe Later quasars would have been closer Not observed – must be after age of quasars

Quasars don't exist anymore

Remnants of the early universe

The shell in which they appear represents their lifetime

Concept known as Event horizon

Earlier quasars would have to be further away for us to be in their event horizon

> age of universe

Later quasars would have been closer

Not observed – must be after age of quasars

So Quasars DID Exist A long Time Ago In a galaxy far, far away

A long Time Ago

In a galaxy far, far away

@iamtheschmitzer