The Hubble puzzle. Astronomers estimate the age of the universe in two ways: (a) by looking for the oldest stars; and (b) by measuring the rate of expansion of the universe and extrapolating back to the Big Bang. Start studying the Age of the Universe. If we assume that the expansion rate is constant over time, the age for the universe as a whole is about 10 billion years. A recent value of the Hubble constant H_0 is 71 km/sec/mega parsec. The reciprocal of the Hubble constant H_0, 1/H_0 is an estimate of the age of our universe, after conversion of units for parity. However, astronomers have been working over the last 20 years to determine how the expansion rate changes with time. This age is calculated by measuring the distances and radial velocities of other galaxies, most of which are flying away from our own at speeds proportional to their distances. If the universe is flat, and dominated by ordinary or dark matter, the age of the universe as inferred from the Hubble constant would be about 9 billion years. One way to check the Hubble constant is to compare its prediction for the age of the universe with the age of the oldest objects we can see. We now know that early in the universe the expansion was slowing down, but now it is speeding up. The age of the universe is approximately 13.77 billion years.

If we compare the two age determinations, there is a potential crisis. 1 AU = 149597871 km. We do not know the exact age of the universe, but we believe that it is around 13 billion years - give or take a few billion. 1 mega parsec = 10^6 parsec and 1 parsec = 206265 AU. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. The age of the universe would be shorter than the age of oldest stars. So, the age of the Universe is t = 1 / H 0 = 1 / 2.37 x 10 − 18 1 / s = 4.22 x 10 17 s = 13.4 b i l l i o n y e a r s. From stellar evolution, we have estimated the ages of the oldest globular clusters to be approximately 12-13 billion years old. This means we’re confident in the age of the Universe to 99.1% accuracy, which is an amazing feat! The Hubble constant has not been easy to measure, and the number has changed several times since the 1930s, Kuo says.

The explanation gives the computational details.. 1/(Hubble constant) is an estimate for the age of our universe.