Exploring the Phenomenon of Galaxies Drifting Apart at Light Speed

[James_Cody]

If the galaxies are drifting farther apart at close to light speed then why are we bothering to try to go to other galaxies?

 

[nicksauce]

Where do you get the idea that we are trying to go to other galaxies?

 

[PaulS1950]

We are having enough problems just going to places in our solar system.
we have no workable way to even attempt a trip to the nearest neighboring star system.
Even in Star Trek they pretty much stay in the same galaxy.
The distances involved between galaxies foils even the sci-fi writers methods of travel for the most part.

 

[map19]

that's right, absolutely no chance of traveling between galaxies.
Your statement is wrong. galaxies are moving away from each other. The speed of motion depends on their distance from each other. For every Million lightyears between two galaxies they are moving, relative to each other, at about 20km per second.
This is because the space between them is expanding.

 

[Cyosis]

That really depends on how close the galaxies are to each other. For example the galaxies in our local group are not receding, because gravity is strong enough to keep things together against the expansion. In fact our closest neighbour, Andromeda, is coming right at us. It is only on very large scales that gravity can't keep galaxies together anymore.

 

[PaulS1950]

That really depends on how close the galaxies are to each other. For example the galaxies in our local group are not receding, because gravity is strong enough to keep things together against the expansion. In fact our closest neighbour, Andromeda, is coming right at us. It is only on very large scales that gravity can't keep galaxies together anymore.

While what you say is true the distances involved are still so great the we have no concept of what it would take to get from our galaxy to Andromeda. Even if we could travel at .999C it would take millenia to go between these galaxies.

 

[Kenneth Henry]

I believe it's more a matter of seeing other galaxies; and since what we view is light, if the distance is great enough some galaxies are moving away from us/we are separating at a rate that is actually faster than the speed of light. (Which is more boggling than thinking about time dilation.)

So given our late appearance to this party, there are some galaxies we will never see, as they were too far away when humans evolved, let alone now.