Paradox: the Nine Greatest Enigmas in Physics by Jim Al-Khalili

Why does it get dark at night? It's a simple question, but the answer has taken astronomers half a millennium of groping in the black skies to find. The question is not about the rotation of the Earth but about starlight, and as telescopes expanded, along with theories of the universe, so too did what became known as Olbers' paradox. The problem is this. Imagine looking at a postage-stamp-size area of the sky. Within that space, the naked eye may see a couple of bright stars, those closest to us. But behind them are thousands of others receding into space, and the further into space you go, the greater the number of stars. While individual stars may not be bright enough to see, the number of them packed into one's sight-line means that the whole postage stamp should be glowing. Why isn't it?

Publisher:	Black Swan
Year:	2013
Binding:	Paperback
ISBN:	9780552778060
Condition:	Good
Description:	Owner's Name inside. Minor foxing.

Note: This image is from a stock photo and may differ from the actual cover.

SKU: 1599677
Location: Science