🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <C15vrI.6yp@well.sf.ca.us>, metares@well.sf.ca.us (Tom Van Flandern) writes:
> ...stuff deleted...
>
>      So I then pointed out that the solar system has about 20 orders of
> magnitude higher matter density than the universe.  If much weaker matter
> densities will cause space in the universe to eventually contract, why
> doesn't it cause space in the solar system to contract now?  This does seem
> like an inconsistency to me.

This "inconsistency" is nonetheless predicted by GR and is consistent
with the observations.
	"Tis strange --- but true; for truth is always strange;
	 Stranger than fiction."           Lord Byron 1788-1824

> > Also, matter does cause local space-time to contract (althought I prefer
> > Ben Weiner's geodesic description).  This is the cause for the observed
> > deflection of starlight by the sun as predicted by GR.
> 
>      Let's not mix concepts.  According to GR, the Sun causes local
> spacetime to curve, not contract, and that is the cause of the deflection
> of starlight.  If there were any contraction, the average distances of the
> planets would be getting closer to the Sun, just as the average distance of
> galaxies now increases due to space expanding.

I stand corrected.  What is important here is that the observed
behavior of the solar system is consistent with GR.  If there are new
observations that contradict GR, I am not aware of them.

> > Tom, I don't understand your claims about the ad hoc nature of GR in the
> > big bang model.  As I understand GR has never predicted that the solar
> > system would be affected by the hubble expansion.
>
>  ...big deletion...  (Hopefully a real GR type will critique this section.)
>
>      I hope I have been clearer in pinpointing where I see an inconsistency
> in the present exposition of big bang cosmology.  -|Tom|-

What seems clear to me is that you do not accept general relativity.
Since GR is part of the foundation of big bang models, I would like to
encourage the discussion to focus on the validity of GR.

Finally, for the record, General Relativity has always predicted
that the solar system would not be affected by the hubble expansion.  
The big bang never required an ad hoc correction to account
for the observed "non-expansion" of the solar system.

Pat