Galaxies and the Universe

Abstract

A brief review is given of what the study of galaxies has taught us about properties of the universe. It is assumed that the universe started from a general "explosion," and that the general expansion observed today, as well as the 3°K blackbody radiation, are consequences of this explosion. The present average density in the universe is probably close to the critical value of 10^-29 g/cm³. Only about 3 percent of this is contained in galaxies; the rest consists probably of intergalactic gas at a temperature between 10⁵ and 10⁶°K. Observations in our own galaxy indicate that this intergalactic gas is still flowing into it.