Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.3 4.3bsd-beta 6/6/85; site ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!ucbvax!space From: KFL@MC.LCS.MIT.EDU ("Keith F. Lynch") Newsgroups: net.space Subject: Olber's paradox Message-ID: <[MC.LCS.MIT.EDU].841621.860306.KFL> Date: Thu, 6-Mar-86 22:35:04 EST Article-I.D.: <[MC.LCS.MIT.EDU].841621.860306.KFL> Posted: Thu Mar 6 22:35:04 1986 Date-Received: Sat, 8-Mar-86 05:16:08 EST Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU Organization: The ARPA Internet Lines: 23 From: "Josh Knight" I don't think clumping, no matter what its statistical characteristics can avoid the paradox. Not true. An infinite hierarchy of clumping can avoid it, even in an infinite, infinitely ancient, non-expanding universe. We know that stars clump in galaxies, galaxies in clusters, and clusters in superclusters. If we assume that superclusters, in turn, clump into hyperclusters, ad that hyperclusters are not evenly distributed either, but clump into untraclusters,... and so on and so forth forever, we can avoid Olber's paradox. The paradox requires that there be an average density of the universe. But in the inifinite hierarchy model there is no average density. The larger a sphere you describe about the Sun, the lower the density of material within it. (Which is not to say we have any prefered position, the same would be true from any other star in any other galaxy anywhere). This inifinite hierarchy model was quite popular at one time. It is a shame that it is out of fashion these days, as it is really quite attractive. "In an infinite universe I am bound to recur" -- Nietzche ...Keith