Using stars random distribution to determine presence of gravity

In summary, the conversation discusses the possibility of using the distribution of stars and planets in the sky to determine the gravitational force present and how it relates to the formation of structures in the early universe. It is mentioned that this type of analysis has been done frequently and has become highly sophisticated. The conversation also references the work of Nobel laureate George Smoot in explaining the process of structure formation and how it helps confirm the accuracy of the basic Einstein model of gravity. The conversation concludes by mentioning the importance of dark matter in this process and suggesting further resources for research.
  • #1
tmh556
6
0
Hi, I'm sure this has been tried but I was just wondering if it's possible to use the distribution of stars and planets in the sky and see how much that deviates from true randomness. With that calculation in mind, I would then think it's possible to determine the gravitational force present since I believe that would be the main factor altering pure randomness. That said, I don't really know what I'm talking about so I could be completely off. Just wondering if there has been any approaches like this.
 
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  • #2
tmh556 said:
Hi, I'm sure this has been tried but I was just wondering if it's possible to use the distribution of stars and planets in the sky and see how much that deviates from true randomness. With that calculation in mind, I would then think it's possible to determine the gravitational force present since I believe that would be the main factor altering pure randomness. That said, I don't really know what I'm talking about so I could be completely off. Just wondering if there has been any approaches like this.

That kind of analysis has been done a lot and has gotten highly sophisticated.
It comes under the heading of early universe "structure formation".

You should google "Smoot TED" and watch the 18 minute video of Nobelist George Smoot explaining with excellent slides and computer animations. He explains how we study structure formation and how we observe it.

It is a way of checking that the gravity works the way our model says it should, and also of checking that the estimate of unseen matter is right.

The very early universe matter was close to uniformly spread out. Even distribution. No structure. We can observe how it gradually collapsed into sheets and strands and clumps and clusters. So it took on a kind of cobwebby appearance, and then galaxies formed in the denser parts.

The cobwebby mess that we observe is actually just what our theory of gravity says should condense out of a uniform cloud. And you can run computer sims based on our gravity equations and they approximately duplicate the appearance of what we see, in a qualitative sense. The results look the same. It is an impressive demonstration of how good the basic einstein model of gravity is, when you add dark matter to it.

Without dark matter there would not have been enough ordinary matter to have done this and condensed that way and be looking like this. So it helps confirm that as well.
Check out Smoot's talk.
 
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  • #3
Relating to what Marcus said, check out the Wikipedia article on the Millennium Run.

Not relating to what Marcus said, the stars that you see when you look up at the sky are certainly not random. The stars are clearly denser towards the center of the Milky Way, and in general, along the galactic plane.
 
  • #4
The Faber-Jackson relationship comes to mind.
 

Related to Using stars random distribution to determine presence of gravity

1. How does using stars' random distribution determine the presence of gravity?

By analyzing the distribution of stars in a particular area of space, scientists can determine the strength and direction of the gravitational pull in that region. The greater the concentration of stars, the stronger the gravitational force.

2. Can this method be used to measure the strength of gravity in different areas of the universe?

Yes, this method can be applied to any area of the universe where stars are present. By observing the distribution of stars, scientists can calculate the gravitational force and compare it to other regions.

3. How accurate is this method in determining the presence of gravity?

This method is considered very accurate, as the distribution of stars is directly related to the gravitational pull in a particular area. However, other factors such as dark matter and dark energy can also affect the gravitational force, so this method may not be 100% accurate.

4. Can this method be used to detect the presence of black holes?

Yes, the random distribution of stars can indicate the presence of a black hole. The gravitational force of a black hole is so strong that it can affect the orbits of stars around it, causing a visible distortion in their distribution.

5. Are there any limitations to using stars' random distribution to determine gravity?

One limitation is that this method can only be used in areas where there are a sufficient number of stars to observe. It may also be affected by other factors such as the rotation of galaxies and the presence of dark matter. Additionally, this method may not be accurate for determining the gravitational force in very small or large scales, as the distribution of stars may not be representative of the overall gravitational pull.

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