The
Big Bang is where time, space and all matter (the stuff of the universe)
initially started from; Or so this is the consensus of most astro-physicists
think, anyway. The actual "bang is thought to have occurred eight BILLION
years ago, however, there is other information that there are star clusters
(galaxies in basic terms) that are 10 BILLION years old. The disparity
is hard to explain in simple terms, but here we go-- Hang on tight!
The Big Bang was a point at which all matter is thought to have been infinitely small and contained in one single point in the center of the universe (a point no one knows where yet, but are finding out day by day). At some point and for no know reason, it began expanding in an explosive force that created globs of "stuff" to be thrown out. This stuff was in no organized sort of existence and just existed. It was extremely hot and contained within it, quarks (the theoretical subatomic particles) and anti-quarks (reverse charged quarks), as well as the beginnings of matter and anti-matter. These, after the universe cooled millions of degrees, these quarks and anti-quarks began coming together to produce hydrogen and helium nuclei which, after a few million years of cooloing began taking on the free electrons spread in the universe creating Hydrogen and Helium atoms. (The elements we now know about have been created over billions of years of stellar fusion of hydrogen and Helium atoms and the further creations after the first hydrogen/helium atom was created--in other words, one atom of hydrogen fused with another creating helium. That atom fused with another atom creating lithium etc...) As these elements were being created, they were drawing into each other and the beginnings of stars were forming. This is due to the fact that all matter creates gravity and this is why things began to draw into each other and there are clusters of stuff instead of just stuff everywhere in a haphazard arrangement. Even the universe is organized, unlike myself. After this explosion, and the stuff coagulated to form a galaxy (or billions of them) they were already in motion from the force of the Big Bang. this is why they are in motion, moving away from and into each other.
Now, in light of the size of the universe (another unknown), some scientists believe that there may have been more than one Big Bang, a theory of growing acceptance. The reason for this is because of the red shift of some stars. The red shift is how scientists measure the distance of stars and the direction it is going in relation to us. How it is used is that light moves in waves like sound. Like sound the distance and direction it is going can affect the wavelength. This is similar to when an emergency vehicle approaches you--it sounds very high pitched. this is due to the shorter wavelengths. In a star, the shorter wavelength would be represented as a bluer color than the star would normally look like. The color would be red as the wavelength got longer from the star moving away from us as the sound of the ambulance got lower pitched as it passed by you and the wavelength of its sound got elongated from the direction it is now going.
This Red shift has shown scientists that some galaxies are moving head on toward each other.-- None coming our way that I have heard of, and even if one does, the sun will more than likely have died long before one got here.-- There is a web site you can visit to learn more about this new concept of a second or more big bang theory known as SBBE or Secondary Big Bang Event. (click on the yellow SBBE) and find what you would like to know about.
So, the universe started out as one single point in the universe (or more depending on what you believe) and now what? Where is it all going? Will it contract due to the fact that all matter has density (including light) and that all matter has gravity--basically collapsing the universe into itself? Well, scientists are exploring that very thing in what is called the COBE-Cosmic Background Exploration. This is a very in depth look at what scientists are discovering in today's universe. This site will show you the results of what they have found out about the "stuff" that is left over from the Big Bang that is not detectable by normal means. It is even theoretical that it exists, however with this new device that can see the microwave print of the sky, scientists believe they have found this stuff called dark matter. The reason it is only speculative as to its existence is that it is very close to near 0*Kelvin -459.67(*F) (thanks University of California for the conversion) which is the point to which all matter stops including atomic particles. Dark matter still emanates some energy but in such infinitesimal amounts that normal "detection devices"-telescopes, radio imaging etc...-could not detect it. Einstein is involved with the theory of this dark matter, but even he thought it was not real, however, scientists believe they have found this stuff and may be able to gauge how dense the universe may be. This will answer how the universe is expanding and its final destiny. It could expand forever in all directions, it could expand in what they think is a saddle-like shape or, amazingly, if it is at or near a critical density, the universe may be flat.
