Re: Secrets of Dark Matter

Wasn't it justbeats who wrote:

Wasn't it Einstein who *predicted* the cosmological constant and then
rejected it (on arguably theological grounds)? Don't these
*observations* vindicate the truth of those first equations...?

Yes, but the reasoning that led to Einstein adding the Cosmological
Constant to his equations was totally wrong. He didn't have access to
the new observational data that indicates that the rate of expansion of
the universe is accelerating. In fact, when he postulated the
Cosmological Constant, he didn't know that the universe was expanding.

He wrongly assumed that the universe was neither expanding nor
contracting. When he applied his equations to a static universe, they
predicted that the universe would contract and eventually collapse.
Einstein wasn't happy with this and added a fudge factor to his
equations with the intention that it would allow a stationary universe
to exist. (As it turns out, the Cosmological Constant didn't even manage
that. The equations then show the equilibrium between gravitational
attraction and Cosmological Constant repulsion would be unstable. Any
slight perturbation would unbalance the equilibrium and the universe
would then continue to expand or contract.)

When Hubble later announced that the universe was expanding, Einstein
realised that his Cosmological Constant was based on a false assumption
and rightly abandoned it.

--
Mike Williams
Gentleman of Leisure
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: general relativity website
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    (sci.physics.research)
  • Re: Cosmo Constant
    ... > the expansion of the universe. ... Einstein introduced the cosmological constant because in his estimation, ... The universe, in expanding, is like a tennis ball in its ...
    (sci.astro.amateur)
  • From our perspective.
    ... (i.e. Dark energy, negative mass, negative energy. ... " He didn't like the idea of a start to the universe because ... Einstein threw in the cosmological constant in the face ... How Einstein stressed the importance of distinguishing ...
    (sci.physics)
  • Re: big bang "everywhere at once"?
    ... the cosmological constant appears ... That Einstein ... >>introduced the constant simply to salvage his idea of a static universe ... And *that* dropping was the error, IMO, not the introduction of the ...
    (sci.astro)
  • Re: Incorrect Causal Horizon Definition?
    ... >I suggest osher that the universe isn't a sphere but the ... >surface of an expanding 4 sphere. ... based on the reputations on Einstein and Hawking. ... predict an expanding Universe, which he made a trek to Mt. ...
    (sci.physics)