Module 1: Origin of the Universe

Objective:

This module aims to achieve the following objectives:

1. Discuss the theories on the origin of the universe.

2. Elaborate the steps of the Big Bang.
3. Discuss about the Milky Way
4. In depth discussion on the major components of the galaxy.
5. Determine Earth’s location in the Milky Way.

“Universe” is a word from the Latin term “universum” that was first used by Cicero. Then, the
Roman authors used the term to refer to the world, space, and cosmos. This includes Earth, its
Moon, the known-planets that time which are Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn, and the
Sun. From the Greek word “kosmos” the word “cosmos” is used to refer to the universe.

At present, the term Universe is used to refer to everything that is known to exist such as the
planetary systems (e.g. Solar System), the galaxies (e.g. Milky Way), nebulae, and other
superstructures. In astronomy, modern science, and astrophysics, it is referred to as “spacetime”
which includes all forms of energy and laws that bind them.

Origin of the Universe:

Creationist View
According to the theist point of view, the
universe was created by God, as well as the
physical and spiritual forces that drive the
processes that cause creation of planets, and life.
This is termed to as the “theistic evolution”.
Some claims that the universe and the
everything in it is young, perhaps 6,000 to
10,000 years old.

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Steady-state Theory

This theory says that the universe is continuously expanding and keeps an average density. It
also holds that the universe has no beginning and has no ending. This means that the stars,
planets, planetary systems, and galaxies that exist today has existed billions of years ago and will
continue to exist billions of years from now.

Big Bang Theory

The currently accepted theory on how the

universe began is the Big Bang Theory. This
holds that the universe started with an
infinitesimally tiny, hot, and dense point
called singularity about 13.8 billion years
ago.

As of the moment, the Big Bang Theory is able to explain the origin of all known matter, the
laws of physics, and the large scale structure of the Universe. It also accounts for the expansion
of the Universe, the existence of the Cosmic Microwave Background, and a broad range of other
phenomena.

The earliest times of the Universe – lasting from approximately 10-43 to 10-11 seconds after the
Big Bang – are the subject of extensive speculation. Given that the laws of physics as we know

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them could not have existed at this time, it is difficult to fathom how the Universe could have
been governed. What’s more, experiments that can create the kinds of energies involved are in
their infancy.

Still, many theories prevail as to what took place in this initial instant in time, many of which are
compatible. In accordance with many of these theories, the instant following the Big Bang can be
broken down into the following time periods: the Singularity Epoch, the Inflation Epoch, and the
Cooling Epoch.

Steps of the Big Bang Theory

1. Singularity -the Cosmic Microwave Background

(CMB) provides the evidence that the universe started
with this tiny, hot, and dense point.

2. Inflation -From singularity, all the energy and heat

rapidly expanded in a quick hundredth of a billionth of a
trillionth of a second. Space is where all of the heat and
energy traveled.

3. Primordial Soup -called the superheated phase of the

universe when the subatomic particles -proton, electron,
and neutron joined to form an atom. The particles of light
called photons are continuously bouncing this time to
cause the constant glow of the universe.

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4. Recombination -380,000 years after the Big Bang,
matter cooled enough for charged electrons and protons
first became bound to form electrically neutral hydrogen
atoms and helium.

5. Dark Ages -During this time, clumps of gas collapsed

enough to form the very first stars and galaxies. The
emitted ultraviolet light from these energetic events
cleared out and destroyed most of the surrounding neutral
hydrogen gas.

6. Birth of Stars and Galaxies -Gravity amplifies slight

irregularities in the density of the primordial gas. Even as
the universe continues to expand rapidly, pockets of gas
become more and denser. Stars ignite within these pockets,
and groups of stars become the earliest galaxies. This
point is still perhaps 12 to 15 billion years before the
present.

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The Milky Way

Milky Way Galaxy is a spiral system of billions of stars, planetary systems, and planets, as well
as nebulae. This is the home galaxy of the Sun and the planet Earth. To study the Milky Way,
astronomers use radio and infrared telescopes which detect and use radiation to penetrate
hindering matter.

Major Components of the Galaxy

Star clusters and stellar associations

The components of a galaxy is divided into three: globular clusters, open clusters, and stellar
associations. They differ primarily in age and in the number of member stars.

Globular clusters

Globular cluster are the largest and most massive star clusters. The
Galaxy contains more than 150 globular clusters. They are arranged
in a nearly spherical halo around the Milky Way, with relatively
few toward the galactic plane but a heavy concentration toward the
centre. The radial distribution, when plotted as a function of
distance from the galactic centre, fits a mathematical expression of
a form identical to the one describing the star distribution in
elliptical galaxies.

Open clusters

Open clusters are smaller and less massive than the globular
clusters are found in the plane of the Galaxy intermixed with the
majority of the system’s stars, including the Sun. Since they are
more open, loose appearance than typical globular clusters that is
why they are called open cluster.

Open clusters are distributed in the Galaxy very similarly to young

stars. They are highly concentrated along the plane of the Galaxy and slowly decrease in number
outward from its centre.

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Stellar associations

Stellar associations are very loose groupings of

young stars that share a common place and
time of origin but that are not generally tied
closely enough together gravitationally to form
a stable cluster. Stellar associations are limited
strictly to the plane of the Galaxy and appear
only in regions of the system where star
formation is occurring, notably in the spiral
arms.

Where are we in the Milky Way?

The Milky Way Galaxy is

approximately 100,000 light-years
across and the Solar System, where
Earth is, is about 25,000 light-years
from the center of the galaxy. That is
in the local spiral arm is sometimes
Orion Arm, or sometimes the Orion
Spur, between the Sagittarius and
Perseus Arms of the Milky Way.

References:
https://www.universetoday.com/36425/what-is-the-universe-3/

https://www.sciencenews.org/article/naked-singularity-might-evade-cosmic-censor

https://futurism.com/scientists-at-cern-catch-a-glimpse-of-the-universes-primordial-soup

https://www.nap.edu/read/6024/chapter/3#6

https://www.britannica.com/place/Milky-Way-Galaxy

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