Mitton Simon - Heart of Darkness: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Invisible Universe

Heart of Darkness

Books in the Science Essentials series bring cutting-edge science to a general audience. The series provides the foundation for a better understanding of the scientific and technical advances changing our world. In each volume, a prominent scientistchosen by an advisory board of National Academy of Sciences membersconveys in clear prose the fundamental knowledge underlying a rapidly evolving field of scientific endeavor.

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Heart of Darkness: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Invisible Universe, by Jeremiah P. Ostriker and Simon Mitton

Heart of Darkness

Unraveling the Mysteries of the Invisible Universe

Jeremiah P. Ostriker and Simon Mitton

PRINCETON UNIVERSITY PRESS
Princeton and Oxford

Copyright 2013 by Jeremiah P. Ostriker and Simon Mitton

Requests for permission to reproduce material from this work should be sent to Permissions, Princeton University Press

Published by Princeton University Press, 41 William Street, Princeton, New Jersey 08540 In the United Kingdom: Princeton University Press, 6 Oxford Street, Woodstock, Oxfordshire OX20 1TW

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ISBN 978-0-691-13430-7

Library of Congress Control Number: 2012 950892

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Contents

The unfolding story of modern cosmology, as it appears in the popular press, is often a simple linear parade of heroes whose achievements are presented as inevitable outcomes: Copernicus, Galileo, the Herschels, Einstein, Eddington, Hubble, Sandage, and then the Modern Paradigm. In fact, it is a more winding tale, with these leaders, in addition to their great contributions, having made serious errors and other players making essential contributions. The two authors, having been participants over roughly the last half century of this enterprise, and knowing rather closely a large fraction of the cast of characters, have wanted to add extra emphasis to some of the physicists and astrophysicists whose vital contributions have often been overlooked in the conventional story line. Specific examples are the Abb Georges Lematre, George Gamow, Fritz Zwicky, and Beatrice Tinsley. Numerous other living scientists have also been noted, but we have surely not been fair to the contributions of innumerable eminent scientists whose work has not even been mentioned, although their contributions to cosmology have been significant and sometimes critical. We did not set out to write a scholarly and comprehensive history of modern cosmology. Our weak apology is based on the necessity of choices to be made given the limitations of space in a book that only has attempted to present highlights of the tale, and those topics selectively picked from the large number of equally valuable strands that we might have emphasized. So, to our numerous colleagues whose contributions have been slighted or omitted, we offer our apologies; we know of and value your contributions, but rather arbitrarily chose to pick a small number of no longer present co-explorers whose work has been passed over too quickly in the standard accounts.

Both of us are, at the most fundamental level, hugely indebted to our numerous colleagues, in Princeton, in Cambridge, and throughout the world. Science is a cooperative, global enterprise and, of all modern sciences, astrophysics has perhaps the densest and richest branches of international interconnections. Thus any listing of those who have assisted and informed us will be painfully incomplete. Nevertheless, however partial and inadequate our remarks, certain individuals contributed so critically to our work that they must be acknowledged individually. At Princeton, Paul Steinhardt, Jim Peebles, and Jim Gunn have provided extraordinarily helpful historical background and scientific insight. They were, themselves, central players in this great enterprise and we are enormously indebted to them for their assistance in correcting errors, pointing out gaps, and generally providing wisdom. In Cambridge, Martin Rees and Donald Lynden-Bell have been, over our careers, steady fonts of insight and directional guides.

In the writing of this work Ostriker gratefully acknowledges the editorial assistance of his wife, the poet and essayist Alicia Ostriker, and his old friend, the editor Robert Strassler, as well as his editor from Princeton University Press, Ingrid Gnerlich. All three read draft after draft of the manuscript, providing innumerable vital suggestions, regarding both organization and verbal felicity. However strong or weak the final product, their generous and thoughtful assistance was essential in helping to transform the overly technical, literarily incoherent initial effort into its ultimate form.

Simon Mitton expresses his deep appreciation to his Cambridge colleague Michael Hoskin, the distinguished historian of astronomy and biographer of the Herschel family, with whom he has enjoyed a close friendship for forty-five years. Hardly a day passes without Michael giving Simon avuncular advice on how to be a plausible academic. Likewise Simon thanks Owen Gingerich, historian of astronomy at the other Cambridge, for much encouragement and guidance, given selflessly and warmly over several decades. Simons wife Jacqueline Mitton, who is also a Princeton author, contributed many valuable suggestions on the development of the manuscript. He warmly acknowledges the research facilities support of the Master and Fellows of St Edmunds College, Cambridge, where he has appreciated the good advice of Michael Robson, Lee Macdonald, Bruce Elsmore, and Rodney Holder. It is also a great pleasure and privilege to thank his agent Sara Menguc and her colleagues for their support.

Cosmology Becomes Data-driven Science

Cosmology, our study of the nature, formation, and evolution of the universe, has been transformed in an extraordinary fashion since the two authors of this book were students in the 1960s. When we were doctoral students at Chicago (JPO) and Cambridge (SM), two powerful but competing models were in the air: the big bang and the steady state models of the universe. There were passionate advocates for each, and a scientists views of the subject were considered to be a matter of belief. On almost a daily basis we were exposed to the strong opinions and arguments of the great minds that were battling to understand the universe. At any gathering of professional astronomers one might be asked, Do you believe in the steady state theory? or What do you make of this big bang universe? Popular writings about cosmologythen and to this dayreflect that early, almost theological, intellectual atmosphere. Cosmology rested precariously on a series of beliefs, because data and hard facts were so scarce.