Thread: Do Receding Galaxies ultimately escape gravitational influence from other bodies?

Increasing spacial gaps between receding Galaxies could eventually lead to weakened Gravitational conditions from other Galaxies. I f a Galaxy escapes the influence of all other galaxies or dark matter etc what would be the likely consequences? This escaped Galaxy might eventually encounter the Gravitational influence of another Universe and then become part of this System. A m I stretching my imagination beyong its elastic limits? I s this Hypotheses too far out in leftfield to be considered in any serious Science Debate? westwind.

What would happen if one galaxy passed out the gravitational influence of the local galactic group is that it would start receding, just like distant galaxies are doing now.

Hi Westwind. Your thread title is a bit misleading. It comes across as a statement of fact, like you were reporting on a news story or something. I'll just make it a question. No biggie.

As to your "question": Everything is affected by the gravity of everything else in the universe. At some scales though, as AlexG said, the resultant gravity on a galaxy or cluster is small enough that they start to get affected more pronouncedly by expansion as seen relative to it's closest neighbours. From what we understand now, it will never encounter "other universes" or such, since it won't be approaching any kind of border at any point.

For KALSTER. Yep, sometimes my Questions become answers. I think it is an ego factor, would this constitute a flaw in awareness logic? ( HE HE HE ). No, seriously, I was thinking about our Galaxy becoming isolated from all our neighbouring Galaxys because of our ever expanding and recession factors in the Universe. Theoretically we could become so much alone that our ability to observe other Galaxys or Star Clusters might diminish. Now KALSTER, what do you think of this idea? Always remember, I'm on your side in this Forum--go with the strength is my survival motto. westwind.

If the acceleration of the expansion is due to a cosmological constant, then there may come a time when our visible universe consists only of our local cluster of galaxies, which are gravitationally bound to each other. If the acceleration is due to a certain form of quintessence (which keeps building up) then there might be "Big Rip", where everything down to the level of atoms eventually gets ripped apart!

In either case, everything else in the universe is receding from here in all directions, and that would have to include the edge of the universe if it had one!

The only way we might encounter another universe would be if it were to suddenly pop up out of nowhere, right in the middle of ours!

Just a very cool video about what we currently know of the universe. The Known Universe by AMNH - YouTube

Dear dmwyant. So it will not do me anygood yelling for help if I'm left alone on this Planet Earth? Can Science ever unfathom the great mystery here? Why so much out of so little.? Why? What is the purpose of this great machine we call the Creation for want of another name? Even if there is a God, what the Hell does He want withall the bits and pieces? It just dasen't make any sense. In fact, its just as well 93% of all living people on this Planet have not the slightest interest in whats going on down the end of the street let alone what's beyond the Moon. Reason being? Half of them would have themselves committed to an Asylum. That's where I am going to make inquiries now. westwind.

Lets try and stick to astronomy and cosmology in this forum, anf keep philosophy somewhere else, OK?

Originally Posted by westwind

Increasing spacial gaps between receding Galaxies could eventually lead to weakened Gravitational conditions from other Galaxies. I f a Galaxy escapes the influence of all other galaxies or dark matter etc what would be the likely consequences?

I'm guessing that most galaxies are in an orbit that accounts for expansion. Well, unless the expansion is accelerating, in which case there's no way the orbit can account for it if it's going to keep changing.

This escaped Galaxy might eventually encounter the Gravitational influence of another Universe and then become part of this System. A m I stretching my imagination beyong its elastic limits? I s this Hypotheses too far out in leftfield to be considered in any serious Science Debate? westwind.

I don't think it works like that. Universes aren't like galaxies, where if you drift too far you fall off and end up in the next universe.

It's sort of like how if you sail too far into the ocean on Earth, you wont' fall over the edge of the World. According to BBT, the universe is curved in a similar kind of way, except in 4 dimensions instead of 3. (Or maybe it's more than 4 dimensions.... I get a bit confused on the particulars.)