What was the central conflict in the Great Debate regarding spiral nebulae?
Answer
Whether spirals were other galaxies or local phenomena within the Milky Way
The Great Debate centered on the true nature and location of spiral nebulae like Andromeda. The established view held they were rotating whorls of gas within the Milky Way, constituting the entirety of existence. The opposing, revolutionary view suggested they were entirely separate systems—other galaxies—which necessitated a massive revision of the known size of the cosmos. This uncertainty pitted the local view against the extragalactic hypothesis.
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