Science - Paths in the Space
The Sun, along with all its orbiting celestial bodies, resides within the vast expanse of the Milky Way galaxy. With the Sun at its helm, our solar system journeys around the galactic center, carrying the planets, asteroids, comets, and other entities in tow. Remarkably, our solar system maintains an average velocity of 450,000 miles per hour (720,000 kilometers per hour). Yet, even at this extraordinary speed, it requires approximately 230 million years to complete a single orbit around the magnificent Milky Way. As the Sun gracefully circumnavigates the galactic center, it simultaneously rotates on its own axis. Visualizing the cosmos as an intricate tapestry of galaxies interwoven into a grand cosmic web allows us to comprehend the awe-inspiring nature of our universe.
The Milky Way galaxy, along with the Virgo cluster and some 100,000 other galaxies, are gravitationally sailing in a gigantic cosmic pool, named Laniakea. Most galaxies are pulled towards the heart of a super-cluster, a dense center called the Great Attractor.
In the vast expanse of Laniakea, our galaxy resides at the outer reaches of the system, yet we are still subject to the gravitational pull of the Great Attractor. This extraordinary super-cluster spans an astonishing diameter of approximately 520 million light-years. The intricate and dense network of paths and orbits within the universe bears a striking resemblance to a spider's web or the interwoven threads of fabric. In a groundbreaking study conducted in 2020, the University of Bonn collaborated with nearly 50 scientists from around the globe to reveal the existence of unimaginably colossal intergalactic gas filaments, some of which stretch an astounding 50 million light-years. These filaments not only surround galaxies, but also provide intriguing implications for the String Theory.
The scientific video below shows the immeasurable paths existing in the universe!
Courtesy of NatureVideo
Qur'an - Paths in the Space
More than 1400 years ago, when people thought that the Sun was the size of an apple, Qur'an described the movement of the Sun, Moon, Earth, stars and the existence of the beautiful dense cosmic web in the universe! The Arabic word حُبُكِ in 51:7 has multiple meanings: "beautiful, lovely" and "woven, knitted". The woven paths could be referring to things such as the orbits, gravitational and magnetic fields, ultrasonic and gravitational waves, cosmic rays, light beam and its bending by Black Holes, Dark Matter, and many other things existing in space.
وَٱلسَّمَآءِ ذَاتِ ٱلْحُبُكِ
"By the Sky with its numerous beautiful woven Paths" 51:7
The following short verse holds many hidden meanings. In general, the verse is describing the relationship between the sky & Earth, things that come to Earth and return to the sky. More than 1400 years ago when the science wasn't advanced, the intent of the verse was understood as: the cycle of rain falling to Earth and water returning to the sky as evaporation. Now with all the scientific discoveries of the 20th century, we see that the verse could also mean many other things such as different kinds of cosmic rays hitting Earth and deflecting back to space, magnetic and gravitational fields, Dark Matter Hair filaments in & out of the Earth, and orbits of celestial bodies. Here, we only describe the meaning related to the orbits. Please see the Dark Matter section for an explanation of Dark Matter Hair filaments entering & exiting the Earth. Quran explains the cyclical nature of the celestial bodies (rotation around the axis, rotation around a star, and movement of galaxies):
وَٱلسَّمَآءِ ذَاتِ ٱلرَّجْعِ
"By the sky with its recurring cycles" 86:11
Verse 36:39 says describes the Moon's movement and how it travels through its calculated phases (each month from a 12 month lunar calendar) and then it returns to its original crescent shape (similar to a branch of date tree that the weight of its fruit bends it down).
Verse 36:40 beautifully describes the movement of everything in the universe as "swimming along in their orbits"! Additionally, God has placed an equilibrium between the Sun & Moon (orbits, speeds, rotation, gravitational forces...) such that they can never take over each other. Furthermore, Quran says that the length of the night and day are based on calculations!
وَٱلشَّمْسُ تَجْرِى لِمُسْتَقَرٍّ لَّهَا ذَٰلِكَ تَقْدِيرُ ٱلْعَزِيزِ ٱلْعَلِيمِ وَٱلْقَمَرَ قَدَّرْنَـٰهُ مَنَازِلَ حَتَّىٰ عَادَ كَٱلْعُرْجُونِ ٱلْقَدِيمِ لَا ٱلشَّمْسُ يَنۢبَغِى لَهَآ أَن تُدْرِكَ ٱلْقَمَرَ وَلَا ٱلَّيْلُ سَابِقُ ٱلنَّهَارِ وَكُلٌّ فِى فَلَكٍ يَسْبَحُونَ
"The sun is running its course to its appointed (calculated & measured) place. That is the ordaining of the All-Mighty, the All-Knowing." ;
and the moon, for which We have determined (calculated & measured) phases [which it must traverse] till it becomes like an old date-stalk,
dried-up and curved; It is not permitted to the Sun to catch up the Moon, nor can the Night outstrip the Day: All celestial bodies in the universe swim along in (their own) orbit (according to Law)." 36:38-40
وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلَّيْلَ وَٱلنَّهَارَ وَٱلشَّمْسَ وَٱلْقَمَرَ كُلٌّ فِى فَلَكٍ يَسْبَحُونَ
"and it is He who has created the night and the day and the sun and the moon- all celestial bodies swimming through space! " 21:33
Video courtesy of WindowsofIslam.com
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