Astrophysical Paradox-Problems: An Open Lecture by Professor S.H. Kuzmenkov
An Open Lecture titled “Astrophysical Paradox-Problems” took place on October 10, 2025, at the Faculty of Computer Science, Physics, and Mathematics. The event, held in an online meeting format, gathered faculty members and students from KhSU (Kherson State University), as well as students and educators from the Kherson Scientific Lyceum.
The lecture was delivered by Serhii Heorhiiovych Kuzmenkov, Professor of the Department of Physics, Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Candidate of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, and Professor.
In his lecture, Professor Serhii Kuzmenkov examined five well-known astrophysical paradoxes.
Historically, the first one formulated was the so-called "Photometric Paradox" (or Olbers’ Paradox, 18th–19th centuries), which focuses on why the night sky is dark. According to the prevailing model of the Universe at the time (static, infinite), the night sky could not possibly have been dark. The dark nights we are accustomed to simply wouldn't exist. The lecturer explained that this paradox is easily resolved within modern models of the expanding Universe.
The following paradoxes were then discussed:
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The rate of energy release in the human body is five orders of magnitude greater than that in the Sun, so why are we much colder than it?
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Calculations (which are easy to verify) show that the Sun's gravitational pull on the Moon is more than double the Earth's gravitational pull on the Moon. So why does the Moon remain a satellite of the Earth?
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The paradox of the "near" (very large) Moon on the horizon.
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The paradox of the "frozen" stars. From 1958 to 1968, the object formed as a result of the gravitational collapse of a star was called a "frozen star" by many physicists and astronomers (predominantly in the East), as they were confident that, according to the General Theory of Relativity, this process would never end for an external observer. Why was this name later abandoned, and why are black holes actually black?
The lecturer substantiated the resolution of these paradoxes and emphasized that solving paradox-problems develops dialectical and critical thinking, stimulating and motivating students.
We are grateful to everyone who joined!
For all those wishing to view the lecture, the full recording is available on the Faculty's YouTube channel via the link.