--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The great spirals, with their enormous…" description: "\"The great spirals, with their enormous radial velocities and insensible proper motions, apparently lie outside our Solar system.\" — Edwin Powell Hubble" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a89/edwin-powell-hubble-25172_astronomy_the-great-spirals-with-their-enormous-ra_631985.png" --- # The great spirals, with their enormous radial velocities… ![“The great spirals, with their enormous radial velocities and insensible proper motions, apparently lie outside our Solar system.” quote by Edwin Powell Hubble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a89/edwin-powell-hubble-25172_astronomy_the-great-spirals-with-their-enormous-ra_631985.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a89/edwin-powell-hubble-25172_astronomy_the-great-spirals-with-their-enormous-ra_631985.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a89/edwin-powell-hubble-25172_astronomy_the-great-spirals-with-their-enormous-ra_631985.png) > “The great spirals, with their enormous radial velocities and insensible proper motions, apparently lie outside our Solar system.” [Edwin Powell Hubble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-powell-hubble/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Distant spirals move rapidly, suggesting they lie beyond our Solar System, hinting at a vast universe. **In simple terms:** Spirals are far and fast. Key Takeaway Explore the cosmos beyond our system. Themes astronomy scale discovery Mood scientific curious Type educational exploratory When to use this quote - telescope research - space missions - education outreach Key Concepts redshift galactic motion Questions to Reflect On - What does this imply about the universe’s size? - How do we measure distant objects? A Different Perspective Limited data may misinterpret motion. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Astronomy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/astronomy/) [Cosmology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cosmology/) [Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying/) [Solar system](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/solar-system/) [Velocity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/velocity/) ## Related quotes > [The great spirals... apparently lie outside our stellar system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-powell-hubble/the-great-spirals-apparently-lie-outside-our-stellar-system/) [Edwin Powell Hubble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-powell-hubble/) > [The outstanding feature, however, is the possibility that the velocity-distance relation may represent the de Sitter effect, and hence that numerical data may be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-powell-hubble/the-outstanding-feature-however-is-the-possibility-that-the-velocity/) [Edwin Powell Hubble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-powell-hubble/) > [It is better to emit a scream in the shape of a theory than to be entirely insensible to the jars and incongruities of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/it-is-better-to-emit-a-scream-in-the-shape-of-a-theory-than-to-be/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [The stones and trees, insensible to time, / Nor age nor wrinkle on their front are seen; / If Winter come, and greenness then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bradstreet/the-stones-and-trees-insensible-to-time-nor-age-nor-wrinkle-on-their/) [Anne Bradstreet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bradstreet/) > [The man whose whole activity is diverted to inner meditation becomes insensible to all his surroundings. His passions are mere appearances, being sterile. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emile-durkheim/the-man-whose-whole-activity-is-diverted-to-inner-meditation-becomes-2/) [Emile Durkheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emile-durkheim/) > [Those who have virtue always in their mouths, and neglect it in practice, are like a harp, which emits a sound pleasing to others,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes/those-who-have-virtue-always-in-their-mouths-and-neglect-it-in/) [Diogenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes/) > [To render ourselves insensible to pain we must forfeit also the possibilities of happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lubbock/to-render-ourselves-insensible-to-pain-we-must-forfeit-also-the/) [John Lubbock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lubbock/) > [A man is insensible to the relish of prosperity 'til he has tasted adversity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saadi/a-man-is-insensible-to-the-relish-of-prosperity-til-he-has-tasted/) [Saadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saadi/) > [ So, Fabricius, I already have this: that the most true path of the planet \[Mars\] is an ellipse, which Dürer also calls an oval,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johannes-kepler/so-fabricius-i-already-have-this-that-the-most-true-path-of-the/) [Johannes Kepler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johannes-kepler/) > [The conscience of America seems to be paralyzed... We seem to be insensible to the things that are now taking place on motion picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/the-conscience-of-america-seems-to-be-paralyzed-we-seem-to-be/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [To stand well in the estimation of one's country is a happiness that no rational creature can be insensible of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/to-stand-well-in-the-estimation-of-one-s-country-is-a-happiness-that/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [The man whose whole activity is diverted to inner meditation becomes insensible to all his surroundings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emile-durkheim/the-man-whose-whole-activity-is-diverted-to-inner-meditation-becomes/) [Emile Durkheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emile-durkheim/) > [“If your mind is not in the present time, your body will look like a dead body, cold and insensible!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/if-your-mind-is-not-in-the-present-time-your-body-will-look-like-a/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Sorrow and frustration have their power. The world is moved by people with great discontents. Happiness is a drug. It can make men blind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winifred-holtby/sorrow-and-frustration-have-their-power-the-world-is-moved-by-people/) [Winifred Holtby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winifred-holtby/) > [Don Quixote followed nature, and being satisfied with his first sleep, did not solicit more. As for Sancho, he never wanted a second, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes/don-quixote-followed-nature-and-being-satisfied-with-his-first-sleep/) [Miguel de Cervantes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-cervantes/) ## More by Edwin Powell Hubble > [The history of astronomy is a history of receding horizons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-powell-hubble/the-history-of-astronomy-is-a-history-of-receding-horizons/) [Edwin Powell Hubble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-powell-hubble/) > [Wisdom cannot be directly transmitted, and does not readily accumulate through the ages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-powell-hubble/wisdom-cannot-be-directly-transmitted-and-does-not-readily-accumulate/) [Edwin Powell Hubble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-powell-hubble/) > [A scientist naturally and inevitably ... mulls over the data and guesses at a solution. He proceeds to testing of the guess by new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-powell-hubble/a-scientist-naturally-and-inevitably-mulls-over-the-data-and-guesses/) [Edwin Powell Hubble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-powell-hubble/) > [Not until the empirical resources are exhausted, need we pass on to the dreamy realms of speculation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-powell-hubble/not-until-the-empirical-resources-are-exhausted-need-we-pass-on-to/) [Edwin Powell Hubble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-powell-hubble/) > [Observation always involves theory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-powell-hubble/observation-always-involves-theory/) [Edwin Powell Hubble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-powell-hubble/) > [Science is the one human activity that is truly progressive. The body of positive knowledge is transmitted from generation to generation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-powell-hubble/science-is-the-one-human-activity-that-is-truly-progressive-the-body/) [Edwin Powell Hubble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-powell-hubble/) > [Equipped with our five senses - along with telescopes and microscopes and mass spectrometers and seismographs and magnetometers and particle accelerators and detectors sensitive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-powell-hubble/equipped-with-our-five-senses-along-with-telescopes-and-microscopes/) [Edwin Powell Hubble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-powell-hubble/) > [With increasing distance, our knowledge fades, and fades rapidly. Eventually, we reach the dim boundary-the utmost limits of our telescopes. There, we measure shadows,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-powell-hubble/with-increasing-distance-our-knowledge-fades-and-fades-rapidly/) [Edwin Powell Hubble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-powell-hubble/) > [I knew that even if I were second or third rate, it was astronomy that mattered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-powell-hubble/i-knew-that-even-if-i-were-second-or-third-rate-it-was-astronomy-that/) [Edwin Powell Hubble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-powell-hubble/) > [There we measure shadows, and we search among ghostly errors of measurement for landmarks that are scarcely more substantial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-powell-hubble/there-we-measure-shadows-and-we-search-among-ghostly-errors-of/) [Edwin Powell Hubble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-powell-hubble/) > [The universe is unfolding as it should.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-powell-hubble/the-universe-is-unfolding-as-it-should/) [Edwin Powell Hubble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-powell-hubble/) > [Science is the one human activity that is totally progressive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-powell-hubble/science-is-the-one-human-activity-that-is-totally-progressive/) [Edwin Powell Hubble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-powell-hubble/) > [We do not know why we are born into the world, but we can try to find out what sort of a world it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-powell-hubble/we-do-not-know-why-we-are-born-into-the-world-but-we-can-try-to-find/) [Edwin Powell Hubble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-powell-hubble/) > [We find them smaller and fainter, in constantly increasing numbers, and we know that we are reaching into space, farther and farther, until, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-powell-hubble/we-find-them-smaller-and-fainter-in-constantly-increasing-numbers-and/) [Edwin Powell Hubble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-powell-hubble/) > [Astronomy is something like the ministry. No one should go into it without a call. I got that unmistakable call, and I know that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-powell-hubble/astronomy-is-something-like-the-ministry-no-one-should-go-into-it/) [Edwin Powell Hubble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-powell-hubble/) [Explore all 23 Edwin Powell Hubble quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-powell-hubble/) ## More Astronomy quotes > [I have inside me the winds, the deserts, the oceans, the stars, and everything created in the universe. We were all made by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/i-have-inside-me-the-winds-the-deserts-the-oceans-the-stars-and/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. 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Soft light in a world of darkness. Tiny wishes in a place of dreams. Do you see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-gentile/twinking-tears-in-a-sea-of-black-soft-light-in-a-world-of-darkness/) Nicole Gentile > [Your head's like mine, like all our heads; big enough to contain every god and devil there ever was. Big enough to hold the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-morrison/your-head-s-like-mine-like-all-our-heads-big-enough-to-contain-every/) [Grant Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-morrison/) > [“Shoot for the moon. 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