how big is our universe?

[boonw]

I was browsing newgrounds, and I found this,

http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/525347

To date, it is the best thing I have yet to see showing just how big (or small depending on how you look at it) we are in the universe

 

[Lallapalalable]

I love that thing, after a while I just steadily go from strings to the observable universe in only a second or two. kinda trippy

 

[ExplorerAtHeart]

Neat, the universe is so big and there is so much stuff that nobody and comprehend its reality. Though theres no hurt in trying!

 

[Ruiss]

Well most astrophysics say that the universe is expanding. Perhaps it save to say that it too soon to tell, but it will not stop us from trying to figure it out.

 

[UrbanMasque]

That was awesome, i love how the scale made everything relative to each other. The best part was when the scale showed the "observable" portion of the universe. Its all soo... beautiful :cry:

One thing bothered me though, how do they develop numbers so big, on something unknown - like when it says the estimated size of the universe. Are they saying "estimated" like give or take a hundred Ym? I guess, Yea they can deduce certain things, but a lot of those figures, like the superclusters, have got to be guesses - at best.

cool music btw.

 

[nasher168]

I don't see why determining the size of a supercluster should be that hard... but I'd imagine the margin of error on the estimated size of the universe must be fairly large.

 

[TheMaw]

The Observable Universe is about 93 billion light years across, not 14. Unless they were only talking about what we can see.

 

[Crazyfist]

I'm sure this has been asked a million times, but

is it possible that things like.. other galaxies exist far far outside the current observable universe? I mean, as far as I know, the light would reach us at some point unless blocked by something. And of course, they would have had to exist for a longer time than our observable universe. That would mean that they weren't created by our 'Big Bang'... is this kind of thing possible? And another question I'm asking is that theoretically IF a galaxy exists so far out that even with our best telescopes, we couldn't even see it as a tiny speck of light, and it actually has existed long enough for its light to get here... how would we know if it's there? We wouldn't, would we?

 

[Light]

The Observable Universe is about 93 billion light years across, not 14. Unless they were only talking about what we can see.

Uh...

The Observable Universe is 93, but the universe that we can observe is only 14?

 

[borrofburi]

I'm sure this has been asked a million times, but

is it possible that things like.. other galaxies exist far far outside the current observable universe? I mean, as far as I know, the light would reach us at some point unless blocked by something. And of course, they would have had to exist for a longer time than our observable universe. That would mean that they weren't created by our 'Big Bang'... is this kind of thing possible? And another question I'm asking is that theoretically IF a galaxy exists so far out that even with our best telescopes, we couldn't even see it as a tiny speck of light, and it actually has existed long enough for its light to get here... how would we know if it's there? We wouldn't, would we?

Yes it's possible things exist outside what we can observe. No the light would never reach us because space is expanding, and over great distances space is expanding faster than light can travel. No they would not have to exist for a longer time than our observable universe nor before our big bang. And yes, some things probably haven't existed long enough for the light to reach us (i.e. stars that have been born out of nebula without light reaching us).

As always, the inevitable "Universe from Nothing" by Lawrence Krauss:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ImvlS8PLIo

The Observable Universe is about 93 billion light years across, not 14. Unless they were only talking about what we can see.

Uh...

The Observable Universe is 93, but the universe that we can observe is only 14?

Sort of. The universe is further apart than the number of light years times the age of the universe; which, at first glance, will not make sense because nothing can travel faster than light, so how could our universe be about 14 billion years old but 93 (?) billion light years in diamater? The answer, again, lies in the fact that space can expand, over great distances, faster than light, and that this does not carry information and thus is still acceptable within relativity...


I think. It's not like I've taken classes on this stuff, I'm just relatively well informed for a layman. I'm sure pulsar, or AW, or MGK or someone will be along to correct the wrong bits.

 

[KuiperKitten]

We're probably not in the center of the universe.

yah maybe becuase it has no center

 

[TheMaw]

Sort of. The universe is further apart than the number of light years times the age of the universe; which, at first glance, will not make sense because nothing can travel faster than light, so how could our universe be about 14 billion years old but 93 (?) billion light years in diamater? The answer, again, lies in the fact that space can expand, over great distances, faster than light, and that this does not carry information and thus is still acceptable within relativity...


I think. It's not like I've taken classes on this stuff, I'm just relatively well informed for a layman. I'm sure pulsar, or AW, or MGK or someone will be along to correct the wrong bits.

Yea you pretty much hit the nail on the head.