Finding
The fourth chapter of Sir Arthur Eddington’s book The Expanding Universe, published in 1933, is entitled “The Universe and the Atom” and begins thus: I have explained in the previous chapters that theory led us to expect a systematic motion of recession of remote objects, and that by astronomical observation the most remote objects known have been found to be receding rapidly.
Paper
Eddington and the Large Numbers
Citations: 0
Full textAbstract
The fourth chapter of Sir Arthur Eddington’s book The Expanding Universe, published in 1933, is entitled “The Universe and the Atom” and begins thus: I have explained in the previous chapters that theory led us to expect a systematic motion of recession of remote objects, and that by astronomical observation the most remote objects known have been found to be receding rapidly. The weak point in this triumph is that theory gave no indication how large a velocity of recession was to be expected. I think the only way to remove the clouds of doubt is to supplement the original prediction, and show that physical theory demands not merely a recession but a particular speed of recession. The theory of relativity alone will not give any more information; but we have other resources. I refer to the second great modern development of physics — the quantum theory, or (in its most recent form) wave mechanics. By combining the two theories we can make the desired theoretical calculation of the speed of recession.
Authors
J. Shaham
Journal
Journal name not available for this finding