EARTH SCIENCE

Steady State Universe

The Basics:
Who: First proposed by Sir James Jeans (1920), Herman
Bondi, Thomas Gold, and Sir Fred Hoyle
When: 1948
Where: Earth
What: Proposed the Steady State Theory
Why: An alternative theory to the Big Bang.

The Theory
• The universe is always the same, all the time, always static, always contracting or expanding.
• This theory acknowledges that change takes place on a smaller scale.
• Proposes that new stars are continuously created at the rate needed to replace the stars which have
used up their fuel and have stopped shining.
• The universe is always expanding.
• New matter is constantly formed as the universe continues to expand.
• Older bodies eventually became out of sight as a consequence of their increasing distance and rate
of recession.
• Further claims that the universe has no beginning or end in time, and even though it is expanding,
its appearance remains the same over time.

The Logic
• There is no sudden beginning to universe.
• Decrease in density caused by expansion balanced by continuous creation of matter condensing
into galaxies.
• Maintain forever present appearance of the universe.

The Contributions
• Explains the hydrogen and helium abundance in the universe.
• Contributes to Wheeler Feynma Theory.

The Refutation
Evidence against the theory began to emerge during the early 1960’s…
 • Distribution of radio sources.
• 1966: Discovery of Quasars
• Cosmic Background Radiation
• Quasars and radio galaxies were found a long way from the sun at far distances in space (and found
none nearby) —disproved the idea that similar bodies are created and found everywhere.
• The fact that quasars are only found in the early universe provides strong evidence that the universe
has changed over time.
• Distant objects in space are considered ancient and the younger universe are found nearer —
implies that the universe is actually dynamic (not steady.)
• In cosmology, this is now considered obsolete.

The Meaning
• Radio galaxies and quasars occur only at very large distances.
• Implies red-shift. Thus, evolution of the universe.

The Conclusion
• The Big Bang Model prevails present day.
• Steady State Theory helped to prove Big Bang through its testability.

References:
• The Steady State Universe. Accessed 25 March, 2016. Retrieved from
http://www.schoolsobservatory.org.uk/study/sci/cosmo/internal/steady.html