The Great Debate - Galaxy or Galaxies?

Narunar:

Beliefs:

The most commonly held belief is that the Milky Way is the only galaxy in existence, and therefore encompasses entire universe. The portion of the Milky Way which we live in is simply a dense area of matter, and there are parts of the galaxy only loosely connected to the 'main body' by less dense filaments, making the universe look more like a chain of 'islands' (dense portions) connected by a shallow ocean (less dense regions). This would mean that 'spiral nebulae' are simply more dense sections of a connected universe which we can see because of the high density of stars or other objects in these regions.

The second most common belief is that there are many other galaxies independent of the Milky Way. These galaxies are the same as or similar to the Milky Way but are so incredibly distant that they have little to no effect on each other.

Both opinions see the universe as a finite entity which is not expanding.

Evidence: 53/500

"Well then gentlemen, it would seem that the Sadalers have challenged the world to see who can truly discover what 'spiral nebulae' are, and we certainly aren't going to let them do it first! This looks like it is going to become a multinational race to the finish line, and whichever nation or astronomer wins will receive immense prestige, so put your hearts in to it. Do whatever you can to get to the solution first, within reason. We are getting a budget increase but I don't want anyone going overboard and spending it all in one go, or compromising their health to do it! Now, get cracking men! This could take a while!"

Dunwik

Beliefs: There is more than one Galaxy, and many of these "spiral nebulae" are indeed other Galaxies, merely far away. However the question arises in Dunwik over how galaxies are stable over long periods of time. 

Belief: 85% accepted among scientists.

"It seems implausible that there is some unique structure in the universe, and that we coincidentally happen to reside in such a unique structure. By gravity it is known that objects of mass are attracted to one another - the sun binds the planets around it through gravitation. We also know that objects grow more diffuse the further they are from the sun.

So, we have a mechanism for the existence of a galaxy, of many objects bound in orbit around a single, massive object. But what object could be so massive as to make stars mere planets in comparison to it?


A final question - if stars are similar to our Sun, it follows thus that they could have planets in orbit about them. If 'spiral nebulae' are similar to our galaxy, it further follows that they would consist of stars, which must have planets about them. We, life, arose on a planet about a star. This is indisputable. But this next postulation is something that has only been reserved for fiction. If we could arise on a planet about a star, and there are countless stars, with countless planets about them, then, I must ask, then, could it not be so implausible to assume that on some planet, about some star in some other galaxy, there exists a sentient race of alien creatures? We have been sending wireless transmissions for some time, ten years. Thus, a sphere of our transmission ten light-years across must have been created! Could we, theoretically, see other races in the stars by their own transmissions?

Telescopy must be advanced, and we must start to see in more than just the visual. There could be - there MUST be, other life, somewhere."

Sadalen:

1906

Evidence: 007/500

During the intervening time, a great deal of debate erupted over the nature of the cosmos as a whole. Due to this, a new cosmology has begun to gain rather strong traction within the community of Sadalen.

First, the universe is in an of itself eternal with no beginning nor end as no evidence can be found to indicate such exists and is static and not expanding. Secondly, all objects must ultimately orbit a single barycentre in order for the universe to not collapse into a single point due to uneven gravitation pull from all stellar objects. This was deduced as the only plausible explanation for how the galaxies are not pulled into each other and into a single galaxy, as gravitation pull is infinite in its reach and there is no super-massive object that can be seen for all other objects to orbit. This indicates that the universe exists within a perfect clockwork state of orbits and complexity.

Also, due to the discrepancy in its apparent adherence to a set universal speed constant with light's wavelength simple shortening should it be fired from a moving object rather than the light gaining speed, it has been determined that the wavelength of light can be used to measure the relative speed of an object is moving in space to the universal coordinate, as in order for light to have an absolute measure of speed there must be some form of absolute location with a universal coordinate. This has brought up the intriguing idea of attempting to achieve absolute rest within the universe.

On the opposite side, with the acceptance of the speed of light and the realisation that the universe must have a centre, scientists have put forth ideas for how to surpass the speed of light through using staged rockets, as each stage would be able to accelerate exponentially from the last due to each object being smaller in mass than the last.

Finally, it has been suggested that the whole universe in its finite glory is contained within a large ceramic of some sort, now being referred to as a crystal sphere, and that it is suspended in phlogiston and that other universes might also exist within their own crystal spheres and that should we be able to escape our own, that we might be able to travel to these other universes. Debate continues on the nature of the Phlogiston beyond our realm and the likely shape of the cosmos.

Narunar

Year: 1907

Evidence: 138/500

Another year in the investigation of the spiral nebulae has passed with great progress. However, fewer discoveries have been made, this is because some astronomers are beginning to realise that the most accepted belief, that spiral nebulae are part of the Milky Way galaxy, may in fact be wrong. As more and more discoveries are made, larger, more powerful telescopes are constructed, and observations published, fewer and fewer of the assumptions and hypotheses that are being made based on accepted theories are being confirmed; most being found to be utterly wrong. Discussions are starting to be made in earnest as to if the astrological models that have guided the field for hundreds of years are flawed, or simply wrong. 

While still a distinct minority, those questioning established 'truths' are no longer being laughed out of the room as fools, but being openly acknowledged and challenged on the merits of their arguments. Even the great Walter Hall, one of the most renowned astronomers in the confederation, has declared on record that the current understanding around spiral nebulae is incorrect.

Even still, few have been drawn fully into the theoretical aspects of the debate, with many doggedly observing the sky in the increasingly dim hope that the theories they have held dear for their entire careers are correct, and that there is proof out there among the stars to show that. Only time will tell.

Sheen:
1907

Beliefs: There are more than Galaxy, but not all the nebulae discovered are galaxies, with others being just areas of gas with young stars. These Galaxies may orbit one another like they are planets, just as the Earth orbits the Sun amd the Sun orbits the Milky Way. The Universe is not eternal and instead formed in an explosion.

Evidence: 110/500

In the southern islands, an observatory has been built to investigate nebulae to see if they are within the accepted size of the milky way. Results have been inconclusive so far, but a lack of signs of blue shifting, while many stars being redshifted point towards an expanding universe being more and more likely, though some still argue that this points to dispersion in an infinite universe.