QUASARS & REDSHIFTS

THE belief that the universe is expanding is one of the pillars of the Big Bang theory and the 'red shift' of starlight is claimed as proof of this expansion. Light from distant galaxies is displaced towards the red end of the spectrum, the 'Doppler Effect'. This is also noticeable with sound waves. If a police car passes you with its siren sounding, the pitch gets lower as the sound waves are stretched out. The red shift of galaxies, therefore, is taken as evidence that they are moving away from us, and the further away they are, the faster they appear to be receding. There are other interpretations of the red shift,1 and research into quasars has cast serious doubt upon the standard view.

AN ENERGY PROBLEM

Quasars (short for Quasi-stellar objects) are extremely bright, yet relatively small, and their redshift indicates that they are the most distant object2 in the heavens — as much as 13 billion light-years in one case. Therein lies an enigma: quasars appear to be no larger than our solar system, yet have a total energy output up to 10,000 times that of an entire galaxy! Whilst most cosmologists struggle to find an explanation, a few have dared to suggest that quasars are really quite close to us, and that their redshift has nothing to do with distance. One astronomer who has challenged the view that quasars are the most distant objects in the universe is Halton C. Arp who worked at Palomar Observatory. In the 1960s he began to notice that quasars generally appeared to be unusually close to certain types of galaxies as though they had some connection with them. Further investigation revealed that in many cases the quasars were physically connected to the galaxies by bridges of material. Yet their redshifts indicated that the quasars were many times further away from us than the galaxies to which they were connected! In one instance the quasar Markarian 205, with a redshift velocity of 21,000 km/second is connected by a bridge of material to galaxy NGC 4319, which has a redshift velocity of only 1800 km/second. According to the Hubble Law - the yardstick astronomers use to measure distance the galaxy is 107 million light years away, whilst the quasar is 12 times further away, at 1.2 billion light years. Arp has photographed and catalogued a large number of similar quasar-galaxy associations, and those interested should see his book Quasars, Redshifts and Controversies3 for full documentation. These observations convinced Arp and a few other observers, such as Prof. Geoffrey Barbidge, that the standard explanation that redshift is due to the Doppler effect must be wrong. Arp writes: 'It is a cruel fact of life that whatever the current official theory is, it must explain all the observed facts. A single, well-founded contradictory observation will suffice to topple the whole edifice. But we have seen that the conventional theory that galaxy red shifts can only be due to Doppler velocity has been violated not just once, but in numerous, independent instances.'4

Picture Showing Quasar Markarian 205

Sketch based on negative photo, showing connecting bridge between galaxy and quasar. According to the standard redshift interpretation they are 1 billion light-years apart!

CHAINS OF GALAXIES

Arp discovered that quasars often appeared to be in line with chains of galaxies or attached to the spiral arms by filaments of luminous gas, and proposed the theory that quasars were actually ejected from the centres of these galaxies. He also found that galaxies in a chain often had discordant redshifts, even though they were members of the same group. His conclusions suggest that quasars are actually quite close to us, which solves the energy-output problem, but destroys the whole basis of the expanding universe theory, and ultimately the Big Bang itself. Astronomer William Kaufmann commented: 'If Arp is correct, if his observations are confirmed, he will have single-handedly shaken all modern astronomy to its very foundations.'5

UNSCIENTIFIC

The scientific establishment reacted to Arp's research in a very unscientific manner. He was treated as an outcast by many of his fellow astronomers, and found it increasingly difficult to get his papers published in astronomy journals. He was also refused telescope time to continue his research at Mount Palomar, and had to go to Germany to continue his observations at the Max-Planck-Institute in Munich. Most books on astronomy don't mention Arp's findings, and those that do, make such statements as 'Despite these objections, most astronomers are now agreed that galactic redshifts are a sure sign of an expanding universe.'6 Of course, 'most astronomers' are committed to the Big Bang, which depends upon the standard interpretation of the redshift.

Picture Showing a Galaxy

Although not a creationist, Arp is one of those rare researchers who are willing to challenge established theories if observations demand it. It seems almost certain that quasars are not such far-off objects after all, and that there must be some alternative explanation for their high redshifts, so much research needs to be done. Those who refuse to consider any alternative to the majority view are saying in effect, 'We know all there is to know about the universe, its workings and origin. It has no surprises left in store for us.'

Even if the universe were expanding it would not approve the Big Bang, as Dr. Don De Young has written: “The Creator could well have established a fully developed expanding universe much as we see it today.” Creationists who believe that the heavens are the work of God's hands (Psalm 102:25) need not be concerned. It is believers in the Big Bang who should be worried!


REFERENCES:

  1. Galaxies approaching us would produce a redshift if they also had a transverse motion, or were spiralling towards us at high speed.
  2. Quasars, Redshifts & Controversies, by Halton C. Alp, Cambridge University Press 1987.
  3. Arp, page 88.
  4. The Most Feared Astronomer on Earth', Science Digest B9. (6): 76
  5. Secrets of Space, Aldus Books, London, 1880, p. 145.
  6. Design & Origins in Astronomy, Creation Research Society, 1983, p. 59.

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