Creation of the universe and the post-creation science is cosmology, not astronomy!

You will recall (from the last write-up) that the Big Bang is not the only option available to us relating to creation of the universe. Of course, the Big Bang is the widely accepted one but it is only one of the two, possibly three hypotheses available thus far. The other important theory, called the Steady State universe, is the older of the two major ones before being famously displaced by the gorgeous, flamboyant and exciting postulate conjured by a Belgian monk cum physicist named Georges Lemaitre (1896-1966).

In this regard, the name of a formidable and remarkable American scientist cannot be ignored (without earning the ire of the Americans!). He was the irrepressible Edwin Hubble (1889-1953).

The two of them separately worked out what came to be called the Big Bang theory. The detail of the new contraption was so exciting that it quickly caught on. Soon the entire world was awash with the Big Bang variety explaining the process of creation, and its various ramifications. It continues to do so to this day, finding new adherents at a prodigal rate.

This is not to suggest that there are no “Steady State” faithfuls. In fact, their number has steadily grown, and the two groups continue to find faults with each other relentlessly. But let us consider what the Steady State universe is all about.

The Steady State argues that the universe never had a beginning, i.e., it never came into being but has ALWAYS been there, and forever expanding at a constant, unchanging rate. While the Big Bang theory maintains that matter came to converge in one place, compressing to the point where it just could not compress anymore. From this hyper dense state it blew apart with a bang. The matter burst outward in all directions with unearthly force, and soon began to coalesce into stars and galaxies.

Today, some 14 to 15 billion years later, it continues to fly in all directions (expanding the universe in the process) albeit more sedately than at first, losing somewhat the speed and intensity.

One day, perhaps billions of years from now, the expansion will slow down further, and eventually grind to a stop. Then, it will begin to be pulled back by the massive force of gravity, until many billion years later it will again converge at a single place — all galaxies and the attendant stars — compress more and more and more until no more, and then blow up, once again. Another Big Bang! This will keep on happening and God alone knows how many times more.

Some cosmologists call it the oscillating universe (the third option). However, a handful think that oscillating universe is a different variety of the universe — different from Big Bang in that it is the same minus the bang. Just think about it!

But we shall revert to the steady state briefly, because while the universe — this one or that — involves billions of years, we do not have such a lot of time at our command (not me, at least). So, our story must continue, and end quickly!

One thing must be remembered, that the oscillating universe (occasionally also called the pulsating universe) is very nearly the same as the Big Bang. The former was given the prefix “Big Bang” only much later (1950-60 period), when an explanation had to be found (read “invented”) for the massive outward, abrupt expansion of the universe which could not have come about without a bang!

Steady state holds that the universe was always there, forever expanding: infinite in time and matter, with stars and galaxies forever in the process of formation, with no end — ever.

Enough of the early universe models, and the forces at work. We shall now dispose it off and move on. Our next preoccupation will be with stars: what they are; how they come into being; how and when they die and what happens to the debris after their death?

Arif Ali Abbasi is a professional astronomer. He has been the head of PIA Planetaria until recently.

astronomerpreone@hotmail.com