27:
525:
Eddington (1939), lecture titled "The
Philosophy of Physical Science". The sentence appears in Chapter XI, "The Physical Universe". Eddington assumes that neutrons are composed of protons and electrons, and his number includes those as
553:
115:
to the
Eddington number, which was his estimate of the number of protons in the universe. This led him in 1929 to conjecture that
751:
382:
599:
491:
1025:
845:
840:
835:
830:
825:
820:
815:
810:
20:
377:
357:
1060:
940:
945:
935:
875:
1153:
890:
744:
586:
The
Constants of Nature from Alpha to Omega: The Numbers That Encode the Deepest Secrets of the Universe
1035:
636:
186:
1020:
885:
1098:
1138:
623:
104:
1093:
988:
737:
332:
1148:
1055:
1045:
983:
8:
930:
617:
418:
56:
978:
880:
870:
685:
584:
508:
457:
449:
88:
648:
895:
595:
545:
512:
461:
388:
293:
yielded values closer to 1/137, whereupon
Eddington changed his "proof" to show that
1080:
900:
644:
500:
489:
H. Kragh (2003). "Magic Number: A Partial
History of the Fine-Structure Constant".
441:
75:
335:
of an integer. Nor does anyone take seriously a mathematical relationship between
137:. Other physicists did not adopt this conjecture and did not accept his argument.
1143:
1040:
718:
706:
613:
182:
1070:
961:
860:
609:
591:
579:
140:
In the late 1930s, the best experimental value of the fine-structure constant,
504:
1132:
1030:
805:
785:
760:
1065:
475:
432:
Whittaker, Edmund (1945). "Eddington's Theory of the
Constants of Nature".
35:
26:
413:
A. S. Eddington (1956). "The
Constants of Nature". In J. R. Newman (ed.).
1075:
1015:
865:
453:
145:
971:
966:
800:
144:, was approximately 1/137. Eddington then argued, from aesthetic and
445:
19:
This article is about astrophysics. For the measure in cycling, see
905:
394:
279:
167:
795:
92:
729:
1050:
855:
790:
306:
275:
171:
52:
166:. These estimates assume that all matter can be taken to be
327:
Consequently, no reliable source maintains any longer that
175:
476:"Notable Properties of Specific Numbers (page 19) at MROB"
356:
in contemporary cosmology, especially its connection with
780:
699:
Development and
Meaning in Eddington's Fundamental Theory
286:
This large number was soon named the "Eddington number".
181:
During a course of lectures that he delivered in 1938 as
550:
The NIST Reference on
Constants, Units, and Uncertainty
170:
and require assumed values for the number and size of
87:
and to explain why this number might be important for
546:"2022 CODATA Value: inverse fine-structure constant"
21:
Arthur
Eddington § Eddington number for cycling
711:Eddington's Principle in the Philosophy of Science
583:
111:, could be obtained by pure deduction. He related
78:, who in 1940 was the first to propose a value of
538:
1130:
675:
666:
657:
643:
684:
412:
59:. Eddington originally calculated it as about
745:
289:Shortly thereafter, improved measurements of
119:was exactly 1/136. He devised a "proof" that
74:The term is named for British astrophysicist
608:
365:
16:Number of protons in the observable universe
752:
738:
67:; current estimates make it approximately
1117:
717:
705:
431:
1122:. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
488:
25:
278:in the universe and the same number of
103:Eddington argued that the value of the
1131:
696:
630:
578:
361:
733:
713:. London: Cambridge University Press.
701:. London: Cambridge University Press.
680:. London: Cambridge University Press.
671:. London: Cambridge University Press.
662:. London: Cambridge University Press.
653:. London: Cambridge University Press.
633:The Sources of Eddington's Philosophy
492:Archive for History of Exact Sciences
619:The Anthropic Cosmological Principle
30:Arthur Stanley Eddington (1882–1944)
13:
1118:Eddington, Arthur Stanley (1946).
692:. London: Oxford University Press.
669:The Philosophy of Physical Science
14:
1165:
1026:Indefinite and fictitious numbers
759:
650:The Nature of the Physical World
300:
572:
1111:
690:Eddington's Statistical Theory
529:
519:
482:
468:
425:
406:
368:, pp. 224–231) (harder).
1:
941:Conway chained arrow notation
400:
7:
371:
10:
1170:
1036:Largest known prime number
637:Cambridge University Press
383:Eddington number (cycling)
189:, Eddington averred that:
187:Trinity College, Cambridge
162:point to a value of about
152:should be exactly 1/137.
98:
18:
1089:
1021:Extended real number line
1001:
954:
936:Knuth's up-arrow notation
923:
914:
767:
688:; Tupper, B.O.J. (1962).
676:Arthur Eddington (1946).
667:Arthur Eddington (1939).
658:Arthur Eddington (1935).
505:10.1007/s00407-002-0065-7
366:Barrow & Tipler (1986
358:large number coincidences
297:had to be exactly 1/137.
946:Steinhaus–Moser notation
723:From Euclid to Eddington
434:The Mathematical Gazette
415:The World of Mathematics
660:New Pathways in Science
624:Oxford University Press
105:fine-structure constant
91:and the foundations of
989:Fast-growing hierarchy
378:Eddington–Dirac number
349:On possible roles for
284:
31:
1046:Long and short scales
984:Grzegorczyk hierarchy
697:Slater, N.B. (1957).
421:. pp. 1074–1093.
309:recommended value of
191:
155:Current estimates of
148:considerations, that
29:
419:Simon & Schuster
193:I believe there are
1061:Orders of magnitude
931:Scientific notation
631:Dingle, H. (1954).
57:observable universe
51:, is the number of
1154:Physical cosmology
1120:Fundamental Theory
979:Ackermann function
725:. New York: Dover.
678:Fundamental Theory
89:physical cosmology
32:
1107:
1106:
997:
996:
601:978-0-375-42221-8
389:The Sand Reckoner
178:in the universe.
1161:
1124:
1123:
1115:
921:
920:
851:Eddington number
796:Hundred thousand
754:
747:
740:
731:
730:
726:
714:
702:
693:
681:
672:
663:
654:
645:Arthur Eddington
640:
627:
605:
589:
565:
564:
562:
561:
542:
536:
535:Eddington (1946)
533:
527:
523:
517:
516:
486:
480:
479:
472:
466:
465:
440:(286): 137–144.
429:
423:
422:
410:
323:
321:
318:
274:
273:
270:
267:
264:
261:
258:
255:
252:
249:
246:
243:
240:
237:
234:
231:
228:
225:
222:
219:
216:
213:
210:
207:
204:
201:
198:
165:
136:
134:
128:
86:
76:Arthur Eddington
70:
66:
64:
50:
40:Eddington number
1169:
1168:
1164:
1163:
1162:
1160:
1159:
1158:
1129:
1128:
1127:
1116:
1112:
1108:
1103:
1085:
1041:List of numbers
1009:
1007:
1005:
1003:
993:
950:
916:
910:
881:Graham's number
871:Skewes's number
773:
771:
769:
763:
758:
719:Whittaker, E.T.
707:Whittaker, E.T.
686:Kilmister, C.W.
602:
575:
568:
559:
557:
544:
543:
539:
534:
530:
524:
520:
487:
483:
474:
473:
469:
446:10.2307/3609461
430:
426:
417:. Vol. 2.
411:
407:
403:
374:
355:
345:
319:
316:
314:
303:
271:
268:
265:
262:
259:
256:
253:
250:
247:
244:
241:
238:
235:
232:
229:
226:
223:
220:
217:
214:
211:
208:
205:
202:
199:
196:
194:
183:Tarner Lecturer
163:
161:
132:
130:
126:
120:
101:
85:
79:
68:
62:
60:
49:
43:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1167:
1157:
1156:
1151:
1146:
1141:
1139:Large integers
1126:
1125:
1109:
1105:
1104:
1102:
1101:
1096:
1090:
1087:
1086:
1084:
1083:
1078:
1073:
1071:Power of three
1068:
1063:
1058:
1053:
1051:Number systems
1048:
1043:
1038:
1033:
1028:
1023:
1018:
1012:
1010:
1006:(alphabetical
999:
998:
995:
994:
992:
991:
986:
981:
976:
975:
974:
969:
962:Hyperoperation
958:
956:
952:
951:
949:
948:
943:
938:
933:
927:
925:
918:
912:
911:
909:
908:
903:
898:
893:
888:
883:
878:
876:Moser's number
873:
868:
863:
861:Shannon number
858:
853:
848:
843:
838:
833:
828:
823:
818:
813:
808:
803:
798:
793:
788:
783:
777:
775:
765:
764:
757:
756:
749:
742:
734:
728:
727:
715:
703:
694:
682:
673:
664:
655:
641:
628:
606:
600:
592:Pantheon Books
574:
571:
567:
566:
537:
528:
518:
499:(5): 395–431.
481:
467:
424:
404:
402:
399:
398:
397:
392:
385:
380:
373:
370:
353:
343:
302:
299:
159:
124:
100:
97:
83:
47:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1166:
1155:
1152:
1150:
1147:
1145:
1142:
1140:
1137:
1136:
1134:
1121:
1114:
1110:
1100:
1097:
1095:
1092:
1091:
1088:
1082:
1079:
1077:
1074:
1072:
1069:
1067:
1064:
1062:
1059:
1057:
1054:
1052:
1049:
1047:
1044:
1042:
1039:
1037:
1034:
1032:
1031:Infinitesimal
1029:
1027:
1024:
1022:
1019:
1017:
1014:
1013:
1011:
1000:
990:
987:
985:
982:
980:
977:
973:
970:
968:
965:
964:
963:
960:
959:
957:
953:
947:
944:
942:
939:
937:
934:
932:
929:
928:
926:
922:
919:
913:
907:
904:
902:
901:Rayo's number
899:
897:
894:
892:
889:
887:
884:
882:
879:
877:
874:
872:
869:
867:
864:
862:
859:
857:
854:
852:
849:
847:
844:
842:
839:
837:
834:
832:
829:
827:
824:
822:
819:
817:
814:
812:
809:
807:
804:
802:
799:
797:
794:
792:
789:
787:
784:
782:
779:
778:
776:
766:
762:
761:Large numbers
755:
750:
748:
743:
741:
736:
735:
732:
724:
720:
716:
712:
708:
704:
700:
695:
691:
687:
683:
679:
674:
670:
665:
661:
656:
652:
651:
646:
642:
638:
634:
629:
625:
621:
620:
615:
611:
607:
603:
597:
593:
588:
587:
581:
577:
576:
570:
555:
551:
547:
541:
532:
522:
514:
510:
506:
502:
498:
494:
493:
485:
477:
471:
463:
459:
455:
451:
447:
443:
439:
435:
428:
420:
416:
409:
405:
396:
393:
391:
390:
386:
384:
381:
379:
376:
375:
369:
367:
364:(easier) and
363:
362:Barrow (2002)
359:
352:
347:
342:
338:
334:
330:
325:
312:
308:
301:Recent theory
298:
296:
292:
287:
283:
281:
277:
190:
188:
184:
179:
177:
173:
169:
158:
153:
151:
147:
146:numerological
143:
138:
123:
118:
114:
110:
106:
96:
94:
90:
82:
77:
72:
58:
54:
46:
41:
37:
28:
22:
1149:Astrophysics
1119:
1113:
1066:Power of two
1056:Number names
850:
791:Ten thousand
722:
710:
698:
689:
677:
668:
659:
649:
632:
618:
614:Tipler, F.J.
610:Barrow, J.D.
585:
580:Barrow, J.D.
573:Bibliography
569:
558:. Retrieved
549:
540:
531:
521:
496:
490:
484:
470:
437:
433:
427:
414:
408:
387:
350:
348:
340:
336:
328:
326:
310:
304:
294:
290:
288:
285:
192:
180:
156:
154:
149:
141:
139:
121:
116:
112:
108:
102:
80:
73:
44:
39:
36:astrophysics
33:
1076:Power of 10
1016:Busy beaver
821:Quintillion
816:Quadrillion
305:The modern
129:, or about
1133:Categories
1081:Sagan Unit
915:Expression
866:Googolplex
831:Septillion
826:Sextillion
772:numerical
635:. London:
622:. London:
560:2024-05-18
556:. May 2024
401:References
333:reciprocal
972:Pentation
967:Tetration
955:Operators
924:Notations
846:Decillion
841:Nonillion
836:Octillion
768:Examples
513:118031104
462:125122360
280:electrons
127:= 136 Ă— 2
1004:articles
1002:Related
906:Infinity
811:Trillion
786:Thousand
721:(1958).
709:(1951).
647:(1928).
616:(1986).
582:(2002).
395:Universe
372:See also
172:galaxies
168:hydrogen
1099:History
917:methods
891:SSCG(3)
886:TREE(3)
806:Billion
801:Million
781:Hundred
454:3609461
331:is the
315:137.035
276:protons
99:History
93:physics
55:in the
53:protons
1144:Proton
1008:order)
856:Googol
598:
511:
460:
452:
360:, see
307:CODATA
38:, the
1094:Names
896:BH(3)
774:order
526:well.
509:S2CID
458:S2CID
450:JSTOR
176:stars
596:ISBN
554:NIST
339:and
322:(21)
174:and
131:1.57
61:1.57
501:doi
442:doi
354:Edd
344:Edd
320:177
317:999
313:is
272:296
269:031
266:631
263:185
260:076
257:425
254:231
251:366
248:709
245:116
242:527
239:914
236:717
233:044
230:468
227:555
224:181
221:961
218:653
215:605
212:577
209:002
206:275
203:136
200:724
197:747
185:at
160:Edd
125:Edd
84:Edd
48:Edd
34:In
1135::
770:in
612:;
594:.
590:.
552:.
548:.
507:.
497:57
495:.
456:.
448:.
438:29
436:.
346:.
324:.
195:15
164:10
135:10
107:,
95:.
71:.
69:10
65:10
42:,
753:e
746:t
739:v
639:.
626:.
604:.
563:.
515:.
503::
478:.
464:.
444::
351:N
341:N
337:α
329:α
311:α
295:α
291:α
282:.
157:N
150:α
142:α
133:Ă—
122:N
117:α
113:α
109:α
81:N
63:Ă—
45:N
23:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
