The latest data suggest that the diameter of the observable or cosmological universe is 93 billion light-years. In other words, disturbingly large. However, humanity does not give up the desire to visualize such a structure. Professor Brice Ménard from Johns Hopkins University and 3D artist Nikita Shtarkman joined forces to create "The Map of the Observable Universe", probably the best interactive map of the known universe to date.
There are many things out there, and at the same time, we still know very little. Even the scales give rise to great confusion: For example, the universe is a "child" of 13.7 billion years, while the Sun is a true adult with 4.6 billion years. But we don't give up. We are part of a gigantic universe, and we will do everything possible to understand it a little better. Good communication is fundamental, and that leads us to a new development called "The Map of the Observable Universe".
"The Map of the Observable Universe": The Best Map of the Universe in Your Browser
The site is the creation of Brice Ménard, professor at the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Johns Hopkins University, and 3D artist Nikita Shtarkman. The professor explains that the map barely shows a "slice" of the universe with a thickness of ten degrees, but that is more than enough to show the real positions and colors of some 200,000 galaxies observed by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey mission.
This mission has collected data for more than twenty years, recording millions of galaxies. Experts continue to analyze that data, but Ménard had the brilliant idea of transferring it to this fabulous site, which besides being scientifically correct, also serves as an entry point for the general public. This is where Shtarkman's work comes to light. In his own words, creating a map is easy when the data is available... but creating a good map is another story.
Our exploration begins with a single pixel, the Milky Way. First we find spiral galaxies, then elliptical galaxies, elliptical galaxies shifting toward the red, or redshifted, quasars, redshifted quasars (also redshifted), and finally, the edge of the observable universe, the first flash of light after the Big Bang, 13.7 billion years ago. Do you feel small...?
Official site: Click here
