Universe is the eternal mystery of being, an enticing mystery forever. For there is no end to knowledge. There is only the continuous overcoming of the limits of the unknown. But as soon as this step is taken, new horizons open up. And behind them - new secrets. So it was, and so it will always be. Especially in the knowledge of Space. The word "space" comes from the Greek "kosmos", synonymous with the astronomical definition of the universe. The Universe is understood to be the entire existing material world, boundless in time and space and infinitely diverse in forms that matter accepts in the process of its development. The universe, studied by astronomy, is a part of the material world, which is accessible to research by astronomical means, corresponding to the achieved level of development of science.
Often, near space, explored with the help of spacecraft and interplanetary stations, and deep space - the world of stars and galaxies - are distinguished.
The great German philosopher Immanuel Kant once noticed that there are only two things worthy of true surprise and admiration: the starry sky above us and the moral law within us. The ancients believed that both were inextricably linked. Cosmos determines the past, present, and future of mankind and each person. Speaking the language of modern science, Man encoded all the information about the universe. Life and Space are indissoluble.
The Man constantly aspired to the Sky. At first, with the help of thought, gaze, and wings, then with the help of aeronautical and aircraft, spacecraft and orbital stations. Nobody even knew about the existence of galaxies in the last century. The Milky Way was not perceived by anyone as a sleeve of a giant space spiral. Even possessing modern knowledge, it is impossible to see such a spiral from within. It is necessary to leave for many, many light-years beyond its borders to see our Galaxy in its true spiral appearance. However, astronomical observations and mathematical calculations, graphics and computer modeling, as well as abstract-theoretical thinking allow us to do it without leaving home. But it became possible only as a result of the long and thorny development of science. The more we learn about the universe, the more new questions arise.
THE MAIN INSTRUMENT OF ASTRONOMERS
The entire history of the universe is essentially a search for and discovery of means to improve human vision. Until the beginning of the 17th century, the naked eye was the only optical instrument of astronomers. All astronomical technique of the ancients was reduced to the creation of various angular instruments, as accurate and durable as possible. Already the first telescopes at once have sharply raised the resolution and penetrating ability of the human eye. Gradually, invisible radiation receivers were created, and how we perceive the Universe in all ranges of the electromagnetic spectrum - from gamma radiation to ultra-long radio waves.
Moreover, we have created corpuscular radiation receivers that capture the tiniest particles - corpuscles (mainly atomic nuclei and electrons) - that come to us from celestial bodies. The totality of all cosmic radiation receivers is capable of fixing objects from which light rays reach us over many billions of years. Essentially, the entire history of world astronomy and cosmology is divided into two different parts - before and after the invention of the telescope. In general, the twentieth century pushed the boundaries of observational astronomy farther apart than ever before. In addition to the extremely advanced optical telescopes, new, previously unseen, radio telescopes have been added, and then X-ray telescopes (which are only applicable in airless space and outer space). Gamma telescopes are also used by satellites to capture unique information about distant objects and extreme states of matter in the universe.
Ultraviolet and infrared radiation are recorded using telescopes with lenses made of arsenic three-sulfur glass. With the help of this equipment, it was possible to open many previously unknown objects, to comprehend important and surprising regularities of the Universe. Thus, near the center of our galaxy, we have managed to find a mysterious infrared object, the luminosity of which is 300,000 times higher than the luminosity of the Sun. Its nature is still unclear. Other powerful sources of infrared radiation have also been recorded in other galaxies and extragalactic space.