MAN AND HIS COSMIC

ENVIRONMENT
Cosmology is the area of study (in both disciplines)
concerned with the structure of the universe.
Cosmology therefore is,
The branch of philosophy, which studies the structure of the
universe. It deals with its origin and general structure, its
parts, elements, laws. It focuses on such characteristics of
the universe as space, time, causality and freedom.
Also, the branch of astronomy, which deals with the general
structure and evolution of the universe. It studies the
composition extent and origins of the universe and its
various components.
The branch of philosophy which deals with the evolution
and origin of the universe is called cosmogony.
The cosmic environment is the entire universe in
which we live, especially those of its aspects or parts
that are connected with human life, survival and
interests.
The structure of the cosmos as revealed by
astronomy includes the earth (and other planets),
their satellites, the sun and other stars, the groups of
stars called Galaxies, etc.
THE EARTH
The earth on which man lives is a planet or satellite of the
sun. We do not as yet have evidence of human habitation in
any other celestial body. The earth is one of the nine
planets, which rotate on their axis and revolve around the
sun. The earth is spherical in shape and moves around the
sun in space.
Rotation of the earth
It takes the earth approximately 24 hours (around the
equator) to rotate or turn on its axis. This rotation gives rise
to day and night as the earth faces or turns away from the
sun. The earth derives its light from the sun. When it faces
the sun it is day for that part of the earth, when it turns
away, it is night for that part so affected. It is easy to deduce
that when it is day in one part of the earth, it will be night in
another part.
Revolution of the earth
It takes the earth about 365 days (i.e. one year) to complete
one revolution around the sun. The sun is at the centre
around which the earth and all the other planets (or
satellites of the sun) revolve. The earth is 93 million miles
away from the sun. It is 4,000 miles in radius. Because of its
spherical shape and its flattered shape around the poles, its
diameter is 13 miles shorter at the poles than the equatorial
radius. The equatorial diameter is 7,9261/2 miles, while the
polar diameter is 7,900 miles.
Spheres of the earth
The most important spheres of the earth are the following:
The biosphere: This is the part of the earth’s crust, water
and atmosphere where living organisms can subsist.
The atmosphere: This is the gaseous envelope (or air)
surrounding the earth. It is of mixed gases consisting of:
Nitrogen (75,54.9) Oxygen (23-14 %) Argon (1.2%) and
Carbon Dioxide (0.05%).
The three sub-layers of the atmosphere are:
The troposphere - the layer from the sea level to about 5
miles high at the North Pole and 11 miles at the equator.
The stratosphere - up to 50 miles. Within the stratosphere
is the region of gas called ozone (a special form of
oxygen). The ozone gas is being continually formed and
destroyed due to radiation from the sun.
Ozone is a powerful oxidising agent used in water
purification. The ozone in the upper atmosphere absorbs
the most energetic ultra-violet radiation from the sun.
Radiation is dangerous to life, so the ozone layer in the
atmosphere is a protective layer important for the
sustenance of life on earth.
The ionosphere - from 50 miles to 300 miles. Above
this, the gases become very rare. The ionosphere
has two sub-layers - the mesosphere and the
thermosphere.
The various layers of the atmosphere differ mainly in their
temperature. For the troposphere, temperature drops to about
30oF for every 100 feet height. For strato sphere, it rises to
900oF in the ozone layer and falls to about 1000oF at the top of
the layer. For the ionosphere, it rises to about 4,0000oF at the
300 miles up.
THE SOLAR SYSTEM
The sun and the nine planets that revolve around it
and their satellites, plus the minor planes called
asteriods make up the solar system. The system is
held together by the gravitational force of the sun.
The sun is a star; one of the innumerable stars in the
universe. The nine planets which revolve around the
sun in different orbits are (according to their
proximity to the sun):
1. Mercury (no satellite) — smallest planet.
2. Venus (no satellite) — most brilliant planet in the solar
system.
3. Earth (one satellite or moon)
4. Mars (2 satellites)
5. Jupiter (12 satellites) — largest planet in the solar system.
6. Saturn (10 satellites) — second largest planet
7. Uranus (5 satellites)
8. Neptune (2 satellites)
9. Pluto — the outermost planet in the entire solar system (No
longer a planet)
In addition, there are 2,000 minor planets called asteroids.
Each planet has its own moon(s) or satellite(s)
which rotate(s) around it. The earth has one.
Mars has two moons (phobos and deimos).
Neptune has two. The planets with large
numbers of satellites are Saturn and Jupiter.
Saturn has 10 while Jupiter has 12. Uranus has
5.
It is believed that the planets were formed from the
sun, from which they broke off as gaseous elements
and gradually became solid bodies in space. The sun
itself is in motion in space and at the same time the
planets rotate around it. The planets and their
satellites are held in their relative positions around
the sun by the gravitational power of the sun. This
magnetic power holds them together as a common
system. The powerful energy from the sun, called
solar energy is responsible for all the energy and the
light in the whole solar system.
GALAXIES
The sun, plus its nine planets and their satellites form
the solar system. The solar system along with other
stars and their satellites form a collection or group
called the Galaxy. Galaxies are a large system of stars
held together by mutual gravitation and isolated by
similar systems by vast regions of space. Precisely,
our Galaxy is called the Milky Way Galaxy. The Milky
Way Galaxy contains about 100,000 million stars.
There are several other galaxies (or nebulae) with
different shapes in the universe. The origin of the
universe and its galaxies is unknown.
MEASUREMENT OF DISTANCE IN SPACE
The distances between celestial objects, especially
stars and galaxies, are so great that we can’t express
them with ordinary numerical notation. The unit of
measurement which is used to measure such
astronomical distances is called a light year. A light
year is therefore, a unit of measurement of distant
objects such as stellar (i.e. star) distances. A light year
is the distance traversed by light in one mean solar
year. One light year is about 5,880,000,000,000 miles
(abbreviated Ityr).
SUMMARY
The main points in this unit are:
◦The cosmos is the world or the entire universe regarded as
one orderly system with a structure, whose parts are
linked together in an orderly manner.
◦Cosmology is the area of study concerned with the
structure of the universe while cosmogony deals with the
evolution and origin of the universe.
◦The structure of the cosmos is made up of (a) the earth
(and other planets) (b) their satellites (c) the sun and
other stars (d) the groups of stars called galaxies.
◦Man depends, for his survival, on air, heat, water
and other natural resources from the entire
cosmos, particularly his own earth and the sun.
◦The earth takes approximately 24 hours to rotate on
its axis and 365 days to complete one revolution
around the sun.
◦Spheres of the earth are (a) the biosphere (b) the
atmosphere The 3 sub-layers of the atmosphere are
◦ the troposphere
◦ the stratosphere and
◦ the thermosphere.
◦The solar system is composed of the sun and the 9
planets. Each of some of the planets have its own
moon(s) or satellite(s) which rotate round it.
◦Galaxies are a large system of stars held together by
mutual gravitation and isolated by similar systems
by vast regions of space.
◦Our solar system belongs to the Milky Way Galaxy,
which contains 100,000 million stars.
◦The unit of measurement which is used to measure
astronomical distances is called light year.