Ummandla Wendalo Omangalisayo

Oko Kuchazwa Lugqabhuko-dubulo Olukhulu—Noko Lungakuchaziyo

INTSASA nganye iyamangalisa. Ngaphakathi kwilanga lakusasa, kuxutywa umoya oyihydrogen nehelium kumaqondo obushushu azizigidi. Imitha ye-X rays neegamma rays idubula ngamandlakazi amakhulu ngaphakathi elangeni. Ukuba ilanga beliyinto nje evulekileyo, le mitha ibinokuphuma lula ngemizuzwana nje inobo bushushu bugqithisileyo. Kunoko, iqala ihambe ibetheka kwiiathom ngeeathom ezixineneyo “ezilawula ubushushu” belanga, ize ngokuthe ngcembe iphelelwe ngamandla. Ithabatha iintsuku, iiveki neenkulungwane. Kumawaka eminyaka kamva, laa mitha yayikade iyingozi ekugqibeleni iphuma elangeni sele ikukukhanya okulubhelu—ingasenabungozi kodwa iwufudumeza kamnandi umhlaba.

Ubusuku ngabunye nabo buyamangalisa. Amanye amalanga aloziza engaphaya komnyele wethu omkhulu. Ayimibalabala, akalingani ngobukhulu, akatshisi ngokufanayo nenani lawo alifani. Amanye makhulu gqitha kangangokuba ukuba elinye belikwindawo elikuyo ilanga lethu, isijikelezi-langa sethu besiya kuba phakathi kwaloo nkwenkwezi inkulu. Amanye amalanga akhazimla kancinane—mancinane kunomhlaba wethu, kanti anamandla njengelanga lethu. Amanye aya kuhlala eseluxolweni kangangamawaka ezigidi zeminyaka. Amanye aya kusoloko esecicini lokucima ngenxa yokudubula kwenkwenkwezi enkulu, ethi ikhazimle kunayo yonke eminye iminyele okwexeshana.

Abantu bamandulo babedibanisa indalo namarhamncwa aselwandle noothixo abalwayo, namarhamncwa namafudo neendlovu, neenyibiba nezithixo eziphuphayo. Kamva, ebudeni bexesha elabizwa ngokuba liXesha Lokuqiqa, izithixo zathatyathelw’ indawo “bubugqi” obutsha bezibalo nemithetho kaNewton. Sithetha nje siphila kwixesha elingayikhathalelanga imibongo neentsomi zakudala. Abantwana bexesha lanamhlanje leathom abasadibanisi indalo namarhamncwa asendle amandulo, “nobuchule” bukaNewton, kodwa bayidibanisa nento exhaphake gqitha kwinkulungwane yama-20—ibhombu. “Umdali wabo” lugqabhuko-dubulo. Isiqhushumbisi sabo esinamandla esadalayo basibiza ngokuba lugqabhuko-dubulo olukhulu.

Oko “Kuchazwa” Lugqabhuko-dubulo Olukhulu

Eyona ndlela iqhelekileyo esi sizukulwana esiyichaza ngayo imbono yaso ngendalo yeyokuba kwiminyaka emalunga ne-15 ukuya kwengama-20 yamawaka ezigidi eyadlulayo, indalo yayingekho, kungekho sithuba singenanto. Kwakungekho xesha, kungekho nto—kungekho nto ngaphandle kwendawo exinene kakhulu, nencinane eyayibizwa ngokuba yisingularity, eyathi yadubula yangulo mmadla wendalo ukhoyo. Kolo gqabhuko-dubulo kwabakho nexesha elincinane kakhulu eyathi imveku eyindalo yakhula, okanye yatwabululeka ngokukhawuleza kunesantya sokukhanya.

Ebudeni bemizuzu yokuqala yogqabhuko-dubulo olukhulu, kwakuxutywa amandla enyukliya kwindalo yonke, nto leyo eyabangela kwabakho umoya wehydrogen nehelium nentwana yelithium ekummandla weenkwenkwezi. Mhlawumbi emva kweminyaka engama-300 000, iqondo lobushushu leso siqhushumbisi silingana nendalo iphela lehla langaphantsi kancinane kweqondo lobushushu lelanga, nto leyo eyavumela amandla ombane ukuba ahlale kwiindawo ezijikeleze iiathom zize zivelise ukukhanya. Oko kukhanya kwamandulo kunokulinganiswa namhlanje, nangona ubushushu bako sebuhle kakhulu, nomlinganiselo wemitha engaguqukiyo ekumaza amafutshane alingana neqondo lobushushu elisisi-2,7 ngokukaKelvin.a Enyanisweni, yaba kukufunyanwa kwalo mlinganiselo wamaza ngowe-1964 ukuya kowe-1965 okwenza izazinzulu zaqiniseka ukuba kukho okuthile kwingcamango yogqabhuko-dubulo olukhulu. Kwakhona kuthiwa le ngcamango ichaza isizathu sokuba indalo ibonakale itwabululeka macal’ onke, nesokuba iminyele ekude ibonakale ibhekela kuthi nakweminye ngesantya esiphakamileyo.

Ekubeni ingcamango yogqabhuko-dubulo olukhulu ibonakala ichaza into eninzi, kutheni ithandabuzeka? Kungenxa yokuba kukwakho okuninzi engakuchaziyo. Ukuzekelisa oku: isazi ngeenkwenkwezi samandulo uPtolemy sasinengcamango yokuba ilanga nezijikelezi-langa zazijikeleza umhlaba zikwizangqa ezinkulu, kwangaxeshanye zisenza izangqa ezincinane, ezibizwa ngokuba ziiepicycles. Le ngcamango yayibonakala ichaza indlela ezihamba ngayo izijikelezi-langa. Kangangeenkulungwane njengoko izazi ngeenkwenkwezi zaziqokelela ubungqina obungakumbi, izazinzulu ngommandla wendalo ezilandela ingcamango kaPtolemy zazisoloko zivela nee-epicycle ezingakumbi zizongeza kwezo epicycle zazo zize “zichaze” obu bungqina butsha. Kodwa oko kwakungathethi ukuba le ngcamango yayichan’ ucwethe. Ekugqibeleni kwakukho ubungqina obuninzi gqitha ekwakufuneka buchaziwe, nezinye iingcamango, njengengcamango kaCopernicus yokuba umhlaba ujikeleza ilanga, ezazicacile yaye zilula ngakumbi. Namhlanje kunzima ukufumana isazi ngeenkwenkwezi esilandela ingcamango kaPtolemy!

Unjingalwazi uFred Hoyle imigudu yezazinzulu ngommandla wendalo ezilandela ingcamango kaPtolemy yokuvuselela ingcamango yazo ewayo ngenxa yokufunyanwa kolwazi olutsha wayifanisa nomzamo wabo namhlanje bakholelwa kugqabhuko-dubulo olukhulu ukuze bagcine ingcamango yabo ithenjiwe. Kwincwadi yakhe ethi The Intelligent Universe wabhala: “Abaphandi bebesiwa bevuka bezama ukufihla indlela ephikisana ngayo ingcamango yogqabhuko-dubulo olukhulu, ukuze bayile ingcamango eyakhe yantsonkotha neyakhe yanzima ngakumbi.” Emva kokuthetha ngemizamo eyawa phantsi kaPtolemy yokusebenzisa iiepicycle ukuze athethelele ingcamango yakhe, lo kaHoyle wahlabela mgama wenjenje: “Nditsho ngomzimba ongenaxhala ukuthi ngenxa yoko ingcamango yogqabhuko-dubulo olukhulu iyaphelelwa. Njengoko besenditshilo ngaphambilana, xa ubungqina buyiphikisa ingcamango ethile, amava abonisa ukuba kunganzima ukuba ibuyele kwimeko yayo yangaphambili.”—Iphepha 186.

Iphephancwadi iNew Scientist kaDisemba 22/29, 1990, laphinda uluvo olufanayo: “Iingcamango zikaPtolemy ziye zasetyenziswa kakhulu . . . kwingcamango yezazinzulu ngendalo eyabangelwa lugqabhuko-dubulo olukhulu.” Landula libuze oku: “Sinokufikelela njani kwinkqubela yokwenyaniso kwinzululwazi yezinto ezincinane zemvelo nakwingcamango yezazinzulu ngommandla wendalo? . . . Simele sinyaniseke ngakumbi size singazifihli izinto ezithandabuzekayo kwiingcamango zethu esizixabisileyo.” Sithetha nje kuvela iimbono ezintsha.

Imibuzo Engaphendulwayo Lugqabhuko-dubulo Olukhulu

Abakhi-mkhanya abasebenzisa isixhobo sokubona kude esiphuculiweyo esiyiHubble Space Telescope ukulinganisa umgama oya kweminye iminyele bayigungqisa kanobom ingcamango yogqabhuko-dubulo olukhulu. Obu bungqina butsha buyabacaphukisa abo bakholelwa kule ngcamango!

Kutshanje isazi ngeenkwenkwezi uWendy Freedman kunye nezinye baye basebenzisa iHubble Space Telescope ukulinganisa umgama kumnyele oya kwiqela leenkwenkwezi zeVirgo, ibe umlinganiselo wabo ubonisa ukuba indalo itwabululeka ngokukhawuleza, ibe isentsha kunokuba kwakucingwa ngaphambili. Enyanisweni, “ibonisa ukuba indalo ineminyaka engamawaka ezigidi ezisibhozo,” lanikela le ngxelo iphephancwadi iScientific American kuJuni odlulileyo. Ngoxa iminyaka engamawaka ezigidi ezisibhozo ivakala njengexesha elide, imalunga nesiqingatha kuphela sobudala bommandla wendalo obuqikelelwayo ngoku. Oku kudala ingxaki enkulu, kuba njengoko le ngxelo ihlabela mgama, “obunye ubungqina bubonisa ukuba ezinye iinkwenkwezi ubuncinane zineminyaka eli-14 lamawaka ezigidi ubudala.” Ukuba amanani alo kaFreedman achanile, ezo nkwenkwezi zindala ziya kuba zabakho lungekenzeki ugqabhuko-dubulo olukhulu!

Sekunjalo enye ingxaki yogqabhuko-dubulo olukhulu ivela kubungqina obanda ngokuthe ngcembe “bezithuba ezingenanto” ezikwindalo ezinobukhulu obungumgama ongathabatha iminyaka eli-100 lezigidi uhamba ngesantya sokukhanya, ezineminyele ngaphandle nezingenanto ngaphakathi. UMargaret Geller, uJohn Huchra nabanye kwiHarvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics baye bafumanisa oko bakubiza ngokuba ludonga olukhulu lweminyele olunobude obungathabatha iminyaka engama-500 uhamba ngesantya sokukhanya unqumla isibhakabhaka sasemntla. Elinye iqela lezazi ngeenkwenkwezi, elaye laziwa njengeSeven Samurai, liye lafumana ubungqina bobukho bomxube wendalo owahlukileyo, elawubiza ngokuba yiGreat Attractor, osecaleni kweqela leenkwenkwezi ezisemazantsi iHydra neCentaurus. Izazi ngeenkwenkwezi uMarc Postman noTod Lauer bakholelwa ekubeni kumele ukuba kukho into enkulu engaphaya kweqela leenkwenkwezi zeOrion, ebangela ukuba amakhulu eminyele, kuquka neyethu, ithontelane kwelo cala njengezihlenga kuhlobo oluthile “lomlambo osemajukujukwini.”

Konke oku kuyadida. Izazinzulu ngendalo zithi olu gqabhuko-dubulo lukhulu lwaluzole gqitha yaye lunocwangco, ngokwemitha yeathom kurhaneleka ukuba lwashiyekela ngasemva. Kwenzeka njani ukuba isiqalo esizole ngolo hlobo siphumele kwizinto ezinkulu nezintsonkothe ngolu hlobo? “Ezi ndonga zininzi nee-attractor zamvanje zenza ifihlakale ngakumbi indlela ebezinokwenzeka ngayo izinto ezininzi kangaka ngeminyaka eli-15 lamawaka ezigidi ebubudala bommandla wendalo,” itsho njalo iScientific American—yingxaki eya isiba nzulu njengoko okaFreedman nabanye bebunciphisa ngakumbi ubudala bommandla wendalo obuqikelelwayo.

“Kukho Into Ethile Esisiseko Esingayaziyo”

Iimaphu zikaGeller ezinamacala amathathu ezinamawaka eminyele exineneyo, ephitheneyo nentaphane yeminyele engenanto ziye zayiguqula imbono yezazinzulu ngendalo. Akazenzi ngathi uyakwazi oko akubonayo. Umxhuzulane uwodwa awubonakali unako ukuchaza olu donga lwakhe lukhulu. Uyavuma: “Ngokufuthi ndivakalelwa kukuba kukho into ethile esisiseko esingayaziyo ebalulekileyo kwimigudu yethu yokuqonda ezi zinto.”

Lo kaGeller wongezelela kumathandabuzo anawo: “Ngokucacileyo asikwazi ukuchaza lento inkulu ngokusebenzisa uGqabhuko-dubulo Olukhulu.” Kunzima ukuchaza indlela eyakhiwe ngayo indalo usebenzisa iimaphu ezikhoyo zamazulu—kufana nokuzama ukuzoba ihlabathi lonke usebenzisa umlinganiselo weRhode Island, eUnited States. Lo kaGeller wahlabela mgama wathi: “Ngenye imini sisenokufumanisa ukuba besiphazama, yaye xa sikufumanisa oko, kuya kunyanzeleka ukuba sizibuze isizathu sokuba besingakhange sikucinge kwakuqala oko.”

Oko kukhokelela kowona mbuzo ubalulekileyo kunayo yonke: Kuthiwa yintoni eyabangela olo gqabhuko-dubulo lukhulu? UAndrei Linde, omnye umsunguli wengcamango ethandawayo yogqabhuko-dubulo olukhulu, wavuma ngeliphandle ukuba le ngcamango idumileyo ayiwuphenduli lo mbuzo usisiseko. Uthi: “Ingxaki yokuqala neyintloko yindlela olwabakho ngayo olu gqabhuko-dubulo lukhulu. Umntu usenokubuza, Yintoni eyabakho kuqala? Ngoko ukuba indawo engenanto yayingekho, kwenzeka njani ukuba yonke into ivele kwinto engekhoyo? . . . Ukuchaza le singularity yokuqala—ukuba yaqala phi yaye yabakho nini—kuseyintsinda-badala kwinzululwazi yommandla wendalo yanamhlanje.”

Kutshanje inqaku elikwiphephancwadi iDiscover liye laqukumbela ngelithi “asikho isazinzulu ngommandla wendalo esinokuthi ingcamango Yogqabhuko-dubulo Olukhulu iphelele.”

Ngoku makhe siphumele ngaphandle size sihlolisise ubuhle nemfihlelo yesibhakabhaka.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

[Ibhokisi ekwiphepha 21]

Umgama Ohanjwa Kukukhanya Ngonyaka—Indlela Yokulinganisa Ummandla Wendalo

Ummandla wendalo mkhulu gqitha kangangokuba ukuwulinganisa ngeemayile okanye ngeekhilomitha kufana nokulinganisa umgama wokusuka eLondon uye eTokyo ngemicrometer. Owona mlinganiselo uluncedo ngakumbi ngumgama ohanjwa kukukhanya ngonyaka, okanye iikhilomitha ezimalunga nezi-9460 000 000 000. Ekubeni ukukhanya kuyeyona nto inesantya esiphakamileyo kummandla wendalo yaye kuhamba imizuzwana esisi-1,3 kuphela ukuya enyangeni kuze kuthabathe imizuzu emalunga nesi-8 ukuya elangeni, umgama ohanjwa kukukhanya ngonyaka unokubonakala umkhulu ngokwenene!