What did Edwin Hubble prove about the "spiral nebulae" observed across the night sky in the 1920s?
Answer
They were vast, independent "island universes" far beyond the boundaries of the Milky Way.
Edwin Hubble's meticulous observations provided the conclusive proof that objects previously cataloged as fuzzy patches, known as spiral nebulae, were not merely localized gaseous clouds within our own galaxy. Instead, these structures were identified as entirely separate stellar systems, vast collections of stars existing independently at immense distances. This realization instantly multiplied the perceived size of the observable universe, shifting the context of human existence from being contained within the Milky Way to being part of an immense collection of galaxies.
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