Why darkness between stars reveals more about the universe than light

1 year ago 139

Physics

When looking up at the night sky, light from stars draws attention. But the darkness between the light can reveal even more about the universe, says Nobel prize-winning astrophysicist Adam Riess

By Adam Riess

A dense collection of stars covers the view. Towards the centre the stars become even more dense in a circular region, and also more blue. Around the edges there are some redder foreground stars, and many small stars in the background.

The following is an extract from our Lost in Space-Time newsletter. Each month, we hand over the keyboard to a physicist or two to tell you about fascinating ideas from their corner of the universe. You can sign up for Lost in Space-Time for free here.

I remember one of the first times I really looked at the night sky. I was astonished to learn that the bright lights were mostly stars like our sun and astounded that …

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