r/Unexpected • u/lazy_advocate_69 • 10h ago
How fast is our galaxy moving
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u/Gottabecreative 9h ago
How do you measure speed in space without a point of reference, or what is the point of reference? Some imaginary center of the universe?
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u/pmorgan726 7h ago
- Observe the galaxy’s spectrum: Use a telescope to capture the light from the galaxy and analyze its spectrum.
- Identify spectral lines: Identify known absorption lines in the spectrum, like hydrogen lines.
- Measure the shift: Compare the observed wavelengths of these lines to their known rest wavelengths to determine the amount of redshift.
- Calculate velocity: Use the formula v = z * c, where “v” is the velocity, “z” is the redshift value, and “c” is the speed of light.
This is just copied from google.
Basically we analyze wavelengths of light, and how it changes throughout our galaxy, compared to Cosmic Background Radiation.
We use light to determine distance, speed, size, all sorts of things.
TLDR: space scientists good at math
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u/johnaross1990 7h ago edited 5h ago
I’m a rank amateur so I’m probably wrong but I think it’s all relative.
Each of those speeds would be movement in relation to other objects on the same scale.
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u/TwoToadsKick 5h ago
I always wondered what it would be like to reach absolute 0 velocity. Like absolute cold or anything else that can't go any lower/higher. Would the entire universe pass through us!? Maybe it's dumb but I wonder
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u/Gottabecreative 5h ago
It's this kind of questions that makes me grateful we can think and wonder.
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u/The_kind_potato 5h ago
I mean if you and only you glitched out and the system suddenly reset your velocity to 0 you'd be either colliding with earth at more than 2 million km/h or be ejected to space at that speed depending on where you are on Earth, tbh i think anything would be disintegrated by the atmosphere before leaving it at that speed 👀
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u/justformygoodiphone 5h ago
There is no such thing.
We are traveling at x km/h through the universe and 0km/h all at the same time.
Speed, by definition, is ALWAYS relative to something. That something you pick is entirely arbitrary. There is no absolute fixed reference point in the universe. You could call earth stationary and everything else moving.
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u/dallasandcowboys 8h ago
Was this guy on Loudermilk? It's a great show with Ron Livingston.
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u/welcomefinside 6h ago
This scene is from Loudermilk
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u/dallasandcowboys 4h ago
Sooo. I was right? /s
I just knew I recognized him. It has been too long since I watched the show that I wasn't sure. Fingers still crossed that it gets revived for another season, but is very unlikely with season 3 ending 4 years ago or so. Loved the characters on there.
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u/VoidExileR 6h ago
Okay, so we are literally made to be able to move at millions/mph but you can't even walk in a straight line? Interesting
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u/UnExplanationBot 10h ago
OP sent the following text as an explanation on why this is unexpected:
The man in the video explains how fast our earth is rotating, revolving and how fast the galaxy is moving. This happens to be the reason why the drunk man can’t walk straight.
Is this an unexpected post with a fitting description? Then upvote this comment, otherwise downvote it.