silentbob14 said:Does the accelerating expansion of the universe has any influence on the passage of time? In simple words, is the time literally going faster (or maybe slower)?
JulianM said:Compared to when I was 18 :-D
It was too tempting not to say this
The expansion of the universe refers to the continuous increase in the distance between galaxies and other celestial bodies. This phenomenon was first observed by astronomer Edwin Hubble in the 1920s.
The expansion of the universe is measured by a value called the Hubble constant. Currently, the most accurate estimate of the Hubble constant is about 70 kilometers per second per megaparsec, which means that for every megaparsec (3.26 million light years) of distance, galaxies are moving away from each other at a rate of 70 kilometers per second.
It was previously thought that the expansion of the universe was decelerating due to the gravitational pull of matter. However, recent observations have shown that the expansion is actually accelerating, likely due to a mysterious force called dark energy.
The expansion of the universe does not directly affect time. However, as the universe expands, the space between objects increases, causing light to travel further and take longer to reach us. This can make it seem like time is passing faster in the distant universe compared to our own.
Based on current observations, it is believed that the expansion of the universe will continue indefinitely. However, the rate of expansion may change over time due to unknown factors such as dark energy. Some theories suggest that the expansion may eventually lead to a "Big Rip" in which the universe expands at an exponential rate and tears apart all matter and energy.