By establishing Andromeda as external, by what approximate factor did Hubble's measurement expand the known universe?
Answer
By a factor of at least twenty
The implication of proving the Andromeda Nebula was millions of light-years away, rather than thousands, was a radical restructuring of the perceived scale of the cosmos. Prior to Hubble's work, the universe was largely equated with the Milky Way galaxy. By demonstrating that M31 existed far beyond our galactic confines, this single measurement immediately implied that the known universe was at least twenty times larger than previously assumed, shifting astronomical thought from a relatively contained system to a vast collection of 'island universes.'
Related Questions
What did Edwin Hubble's measurement of the Andromeda Nebula definitively prove?What specific type of pulsating star did Hubble rely on to gauge the distance to M31?What fundamental law established by Henrietta Swan Leavitt links Cepheid period to brightness?What powerful ground-based telescope did Hubble use at Mount Wilson Observatory for his measurements?What was Hubble's initial calculated distance to Andromeda around 1924-1925?What term describes a Cepheid variable used because its true luminosity (absolute magnitude) is known?What two magnitudes must be compared to calculate the distance using the difference in brightness?By establishing Andromeda as external, by what approximate factor did Hubble's measurement expand the known universe?What fundamental system of measurement relies on the Cepheid variable technique as its first rung?What technical difficulty did Hubble overcome when observing variable stars within M31?What did Hubble need to ensure about the Cepheids observed in Andromeda besides just measuring their period?