Indawo Yonke Emangalisayo

Okuchazwa Ukuqhuma Okukhulu —Nalokho Okungakuchazi

USUKU ngalunye ekuseni luyisimangaliso. Ngaphakathi enhlamvwini yelanga ekuseni, i-hydrogen iguqulwa ibe i-helium emazingeni okushisa ayizigidigidi zama-degree. Ama-X ray nama-gamma ray anamandla kakhulu aphuma phakathi enhlamvwini yelanga aye ezingqimbeni zelanga ezizungezile. Ukuba ilanga belibonakala ngalé, lemisebe ibiyothubeleza ifinyelele ngalé kwalo ngemizuzwana nje embalwa. Kunalokho, iqala ukungqubuzeka kuma-athomu aminyene “esivikelo” selanga, iphelelwa amandla kancane kancane. Kudlula izinsuku, amasonto, amakhulu eminyaka. Ngemva kwezinkulungwane zeminyaka, lokho kukhishwa kwemisebe okwakuyingozi kuphuma elangeni njengemisebe efudumele yokukhanya okuphuzi—kungaselona usongo kodwa kulungele ukufudumeza umhlaba.

Ubusuku ngabunye nabo buyisimangaliso. Sibona ezinye izinhlobo zelanga zibenyezela emthaleni wethu obanzi. Zinemibala, ubukhulu, ukushisa, nezisindo ezihlukahlukene. Ezinye ziyizinkanyezi ezinkulu kangangokuba uma enye yazo ibingabekwa elangeni lethu, iplanethi yethu ibingaphelela ngaphakathi kwaleyo nkanyezi enkulu. Ezinye izinhlobo zelanga zingama-white dwarf amancane—amancane kunomhlaba wethu, kodwa asinda njengelanga lethu. Ezinye ziyoqhubeka ngokuthula izigidi zezinkulungwane zeminyaka. Ezinye zingase zinyamalale ekuqhumeni kwezinkanyezi ezinkulu okuyoziqothula, zimboze okwesikhashana imithala ephelele.

Abantu basendulo babekhuluma ngezilo zasolwandle nonkulunkulu abalwayo, ngezinyoka nezimfudu nezindlovu, ngezimbali ze-lotus nonkulunkulu abaphuphayo. Kamuva, phakathi nalokho okuthiwa INkathi Yokucabanga, labonkulunkulu bathathelwa indawo “umlingo” omusha we-calculus nemithetho kaNewton. Manje siphila enkathini engenazo izinkondlo nezinganekwane zakudala. Izingane zenkathi yanamuhla yezesayensi azizange zikhethe isilo sasolwandle sasendulo njengesibonelo sazo sendalo, noma “umshini” kaNewton, kodwa lolo phawu olusibekelayo lwekhulu lama-20—ukuqhuma. “Umdali” wazo ukuqhuma. Zibiza ukuqhuma kwazo kwendawo yonke ngokuthi ukuqhuma okukhulu.

“Okuchazwa” Ukuqhuma Okukhulu

Incazelo ethandwa kakhulu yombono walesi sizukulwane ngendalo ithi eminyakeni eyizigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingu-15 kuya kwezingu-20 edlule, indawo yonke yayingekho, ingekho nendawo engenalutho. Sasingekho isikhathi, kungenalutho—kungenalutho ngaphandle kwesimo esiyisigayegaye esingapheli, esiminyene esibizwa ngokuthi umsuka, esaqhuma saba indawo yonke ekhona manje. Lokho kuqhuma kwahlanganisa inkathi emfushane phakathi nomzuzwana wokuqala lapho indawo yonke eyayisanda kuvela ikhula, noma yanda, ngokushesha okukhulu kunejubane lokukhanya.

Phakathi nemizuzu yokuqala embalwa yokuqhuma okukhulu, kwaba khona ukuxubana kwamandla enuzi kuyo yonke indawo, okwabangela amazinga alinganiswayo manje e-hydrogen ne-helium kanye nengxenye ye-lithium ephakathi kwezinkanyezi. Ngemva kweminyaka engaba ngu-300-000, ukushisa kwendawo yonke kwehla kwaba ngaphansi kwezinga lokushisa kwelanga, kuvumela ama-electron ukuba azungeze emizileni yama-athomu futhi akhiphe ukukhanya okunamandla. Nakuba sekupholile, lokho kukhanya kokuqala namuhla kungalinganiswa njengokukhishwa kwemisebe okuyisizinda okunamazinga aphakeme alingana nezinga lokushisa elingu-2,7 Kelvin.a Eqinisweni, kwakuwukutholakala kwalokhu kukhishwa kwemisebe okuyisizinda ngo-1964-65 okwaqinisekisa ososayensi abaningi ukuthi inkolelo-mbono yokuqhuma okukhulu yayineqiniso elithile. Lenkolelo-mbono ithi ichaza nesizathu esenza ukuba indawo yonke ibonakale yanda nhlangothi zonke, nemithala ekude ibonakala iqhela kithi futhi iqhelelana ngesivinini esikhulu.

Njengoba kubonakala kukuningi okuchazwa inkolelo-mbono yokuqhuma okukhulu, kungani ingatshazwa? Ngenxa yokuthi kuningi futhi engakuchazi. Ngokwesibonelo: Isazi sezinkanyezi sasendulo uPtolemy sasinenkolelo-mbono yokuthi ilanga namaplanethi azungeza umhlaba enza iziyingi ezinkulu, kuyilapho ngesikhathi esifanayo enza iziyingi ezincane, ezibizwa ngokuthi ama-epicycle. Lenkolelo-mbono kwabonakala sengathi yayichaza ukuhamba kwamaplanethi. Emakhulwini eminyaka njengoba izazi zezinkanyezi zaziqongelela ukwaziswa, izazi zendawo yonke ezisekela uPtolemy zazihlala zinezela amanye ama-epicycle bese “zichaza” ukwaziswa okusha. Kodwa lokho kwakungasho ukuthi lenkolelo-mbono inembile. Ekugcineni kwakunokwaziswa okuningi okwakufanele kuchazwe, futhi ezinye izinkolelo-mbono, njengombono kaCopernicus wokuthi umhlaba uzungeza ilanga, zazichaza izinto kangcono futhi kalula. Namuhla ziyivelakancane izazi zezinkanyezi ezisekela uPtolemy!

UProfesa Fred Hoyle wafanisa imizamo yezazi zendawo yonke ezisekela uPtolemy yokuchibiyela inkolelo-mbono yazo ehlulekayo ngenxa yezinto ezintsha ezitholakalayo nemizamo yabakholelwa ekuqhumeni okukhulu namuhla ukuze balondoloze inkolelo-mbono yabo. Encwadini yakhe ethi The Intelligent Universe wabhala: “Imizamo eyinhloko yabacwaningi ibiwukufihla ukuphikisana kwenkolelo-mbono yokuqhuma okukhulu, ukwakha umbono oye waba inkimbinkimbi futhi wakhathaza ngokwengeziwe.” Ngemva kokukhuluma ngokusebenzisa kukaPtolemy ama-epicycle okuyize ukuze asekele inkolelo-mbono yakhe, uHoyle waqhubeka: “Angingabazi ukusho ukuthi ngenxa yalokho inkolelo-mbono yokuqhuma okukhulu isitshekelwe ifu elimnyama. Njengoba ngiye ngasho ngaphambili, lapho inkolelo-mbono iqhathaniswa namaqiniso, okuhlangenwe nakho kubonisa ukuthi ayiphumeleli.”—Ikhasi 186.

Umagazini i-New Scientist ka-December 22/29, 1990, waveza umbono ofanayo: “Umbono kaPtolemy uye wasetshenziswa ngokweqile . . . kuyinkolelo-mbono yokuqhuma okukhulu kwendawo yonke.” Ube usubuza: “Singayifinyelela kanjani intuthuko yangempela kuyisayensi yokwakheka kwezinhlayiya neyokuhlola indawo yonke? . . . Kumelwe sithembeke futhi singagwegwesi ngokuqondene nokucabangela okusobala kweminye yemibono yethu eyaziswa kakhulu.” Manje kunemibono emisha enqwabelanayo.

Imibuzo Ukuqhuma Okukhulu Okungayiphenduli

Inselele enkulu ekuqhumeni okukhulu iye yavezwa izingqapheli ezisebenzisa imishini yokubona elungisiwe ye-Hubble Space Telescope ukuze zilinganise amabanga okuya kweminye imithala. Lokhu kwaziswa okusha kuyabakhungathekisa abasekeli balenkolelo-mbono!

Isazi sezinkanyezi uWendy Freedman nabanye muva nje basebenzise i-Hubble Space Telescope ukuze balinganise ibanga lokuya emthaleni othile oseqoqweni lezinkanyezi i-Virgo, futhi ukulinganisa kwakhe kubonisa ukuthi indawo yonke yanda ngokushesha, futhi ngenxa yalokho incane kunokuba kwakucatshangwa ngaphambili. Eqinisweni, umagazini i-Scientific American wabika ngo-June nyakenye ukuthi ukwaziswa okusha “kubonisa ukuthi indawo yonke ineminyaka eyizigidi eziyizinkulungwane eziyisishiyagalombili ubudala.” Nakuba kubonakala sengathi iminyaka eyizigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingu-8 iyisikhathi eside kakhulu, cishe imane nje iyingxenye yobudala bendawo yonke obulinganiselwayo manje. Lokhu kubangela inkinga ekhethekile, ngoba njengoba lombiko uqhubeka uveza, “okunye ukwaziswa kubonisa ukuthi ezinye izinkanyezi zineminyaka okungenani eyizigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingu-14 ubudala.” Uma izibalo zikaFreedman ziyiqiniso, kungasho ukuthi lezo zinkanyezi zakudala zindala kunokuqhuma okukhulu ngokwako!

Enye futhi inkinga yokuqhuma okukhulu iye yabangelwa ubufakazi obunqwabelanayo “bamabhamuza” endaweni yonke anobukhulu obungathatha iminyaka eyizigidi eziyikhulu uma uhamba ngejubane lokukhanya, anemithala ngaphandle kodwa angenalutho ngaphakathi. UMargaret Geller, uJohn Huchra, nabanye eHarvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics baye bathola lokho abakubiza ngokuthi udonga olukhulu lwemithala olunobude obungathatha iminyaka eyizigidi ezingu-500 uma uhamba ngejubane lokukhanya esibhakabhakeni sasenyakatho nenkabazwe. Elinye iqembu lezazi zezinkanyezi, elaziwa ngokuthi i-Seven Samurai, liye lathola ubufakazi bokuba khona kweqoqo elihlukile endaweni yonke, elilibiza ngokuthi i-Great Attractor, eliseduze namaqoqo ezinkanyezi angaseningizimu i-Hydra ne-Centaurus. Izazi zezinkanyezi uMarc Postman noTod Lauer zicabanga ukuthi kukhona okuthile okukhulu nangokwengeziwe ngalé kweqoqo lezinkanyezi i-Orion, okwenza amakhulukhulu emithala, kuhlanganise nowethu, athutheleke kulolo hlangothi njengezihlenga “ezisemfuleni osemkhathini.”

Wonke lomklamo uyamangalisa. Izazi zendawo yonke zithi ukuqhuma okukhulu kwakungenamandla, uma kubhekwa ukukhishwa kwemisebe okuthiwa kwakushiya. Isiqalo esinjalo esingenamandla sasingayiveza kanjani imiklamo emikhulu neyinkimbinkimbi kangaka? I-Scientific American iyavuma: “Izindonga namandla adonsayo okutholwe muva nje kwandisa imfihlakalo yokuthi umklamo ongaka wawungakheka kanjani phakathi nesikhathi esiyiminyaka eyizigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingu-15 zobudala bendawo yonke”—inkinga eba nzima nakakhulu njengoba uFreedman nabanye beqhubeka benciphisa ubudala obulinganiselwayo bendawo yonke.

“Kunesici Esiyisisekelo Esisishiyayo”

Amabalazwe kaGeller aveza izinhlangothi ezintathu ezinkulungwane zamaqoqo emithala ethandelene kanye nengenalutho ngaphakathi aye ashintsha indlela ososayensi abayibuka ngayo indawo yonke. Akashayi sengathi uyakuqonda lokho akubonayo. Kubonakala amandla adonsela phansi engenakuluchaza udonga lwakhe olukhulu. Uyavuma: “Ngivame ukuba nomuzwa wokuthi kunesici esiyisisekelo esisishiyayo emizamweni yethu yokuqonda lomklamo.”

UGeller wanezela ngokuqondene nokungabaza kwakhe: “Ngokusobala asiyazi indlela yokuchaza lomklamo omkhulu ngokusebenzisa ukuQhuma Okukhulu.” Ukuchaza umklamo wendawo yonke ngamabalazwe amanje amazulu akuqinisekile—kunjengokuzama ukudweba ibalazwe lomhlaba wonke ngokuhlaziya iRhode Island, e-U.S.A. UGeller waqhubeka: “Ngolunye usuku singase sithole ukuthi besinganikezi incazelo efanele, futhi lapho sikuthola lokhu, kuyoba sobala kangangokuthi siyozibuza ukuthi kungani sasingazange sicabange ngakho ngokushesha.”

Lokho kuholela embuzweni obaluleke kunayo yonke: Yini okucatshangwa ukuthi yabangela ukuqhuma okukhulu? Isikhulu esivelele u-Andrei Linde, esingomunye wabasunguli bombono othandwa kakhulu wokwanda kwendawo yonke wenkolelo-mbono yokuqhuma okukhulu, sivuma ngokuqondile ukuthi lenkolelo-mbono evamile ayiwuphenduli lombuzo oyisisekelo. Uthi: “Inkinga yokuqala neyinhloko yikhona kanye ukuba khona kokuqhuma okukhulu. Umuntu angase azibuze, Yini eyayikhona ngaphambi kwalokho? Uma isimiso sokuthungatha izinto sasingekho ngaleso sikhathi, izinto zonke zazingavela kanjani ezeni? . . . Ukuchaza lomsuka wokuqala—indawo nesikhathi lapho konke kwaqala khona—kuseyinkinga enzima kakhulu yesayensi yanamuhla yokuhlola indawo yonke.”

Isihloko esithile samuva nje kumagazini i-Discover siphethe ngokuthi “asikho isazi sendawo yonke esinengqondo esingathi ukuQhuma Okukhulu kuyinkolelo-mbono ewumgogodla.”

Ake siphumele ngaphandle futhi sihlole ubuhle nemfihlakalo yamazulu anezinkanyezi.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 5]

Ibanga Elihanjwa Ukukhanya Ngonyaka—Isilinganiso Sokubala Endaweni Yonke

Indawo yonke inkulu kangangokuba ukuyilinganisa ngamamayela noma ngamakhilomitha kunjengokulinganisa ibanga ukusuka eLondon kuya eTokyo nge-micrometer. Isilinganiso esifanele sokubala yibanga elihanjwa ukukhanya ngonyaka, noma amakhilomitha angaba ngu-9460 000-000 000. Njengoba ukukhanya kuyinto eshesha kakhulu kunazo zonke endaweni yonke futhi kudingeka imizuzwana engu-1,3 kuphela ukuba kufinyelele enyangeni nemizuzu engaba ngu-8 ukuba kufinyelele elangeni, ibanga elihanjwa ukukhanya ngonyaka lingabonakala lilide ngempela!