Having delved on homo sapiens sapiens in some detail, let us proceed further with other aspects of astronomy that are crying to grab our attention.

Edwin Powel Hubble: A colourful, yet serious scholarly character, Edwin Hubble (1889-1953) began as a soldier and retired having served in the WWI as a major. His birth year is as eventful as any (Gandhi, Adolf Hitler, Charlie Chaplain, Nehru and many other famous ones were born in the same year). His genius lay elsewhere.

At the age of 35 he was the first one to provide direct observational evidence for the theory of an expanding universe, defining also that other galaxies existed like our own. And then the Hubble’s Law. Put together, these caused a major ripple in the world of science not seen since or after Galileo and Newton.

Hubble’s Law states that the red shift in the spectra of distant galaxies, that is their speed of recession, are proportional to their distance. Now, what is recession or red shift, or spectra — for them we’ll wait for their turn which is coming soon.

Before we discuss the basic problem of the origins of universe, we must ask ourselves whether such a discussion is at all necessary.— George Gamow (slightly re-worded here)

Edwin Hubble’s findings revealed upon precise calculations that the age of the universe, or the exact time of the Big Bang was 13.7 billion years ago. Such is the influence of Hubble on his and later generation of astronomers, astrophysicists and cosmologists that they all regard him as the unquestioned father of modern astrophysics.

Hubble Space Telescope (HST): This telescope was launched in low orbit around the Earth in 1990 at the initial cost of $2.5 billion, mainly funded by Nasa. The telescope was named in honour of the American astrophysicist.

HST is designed to remain in space in working condition until 2040. The idea is based on the premise that the space-based telescope would be free from pollution of any kind, and so would be able to penetrate into deep space at far greater depth and distance. It has since drawn stunning and highly dramatic pictures of the cosmos never imagined before. With a 2.4 metre diameter, it is the only telescope which can be repaired by astronauts in space at an altitude of nearly 6,920 km. HST is a remarkable addition to work in astronomy ever since its inception.

Hydrogen: Next we come to perhaps, the most interesting item in the universe. In my opinion, hydrogen is the greatest actor in the universe that, together with carbon, meets the call of my limitless curiosity.

The star of the universe, hydrogen has played a primary and crucial role for the last 15-16 billion years. It is the most abundant element in the universe. It is colourless, odourless, highly inflammable, and the lightest of all gases, with numerous industrial uses too, carrying atomic number 1 on the periodic table of elements. Its atom is the simplest — having one proton in the nucleus and just one electron in the orbit.

Lest I miss it, isotopes remain to be discussed in detail. We are soon to hit upon its parent alphabet ‘I’ and then it will offer us the opportunity to drool upon the word.

As you know, hydrogen is the most abundant gas in the universe. Found in all stars and large planets, but pure hydrogen gas is scarce in Earth’s atmosphere. But even then a great deal more is found when its two molecules are locked with one of oxygen to form the most prevailing of substances, water.

The universe is approximately 70 per cent hydrogen, more than 20 per cent helium and the rest five per cent is the remaining matter. With every passing day the quantity of hydrogen is decreasing and that of helium is increasing — but that is a controversial matter better left for discussion at a later date and opportunity.

Published in Dawn, Young World, November 26th, 2016