Is the Universe in orbit?

Question

are we rotating around some greater magenetic force...like a "super sun?"

Answer 1

there is no evidence to suggest that the universe is in orbit (at this stage in physics), however, there is hard evidence to prove that the universe is expanding and in fact is accelerating. If you look at a star it's light appears shifted to the red end of the spectrum (red-shifting) this shows that the light's frequency has been altered because the object is moving away from us. The odd thing is that no matter where you look in the sky all objects (apart from a handful of anomalies which appear blue-shifted) appear red-shifted proportional to the distance between the observer and the mass. This can mean one of two things:
1 - the earth is the center of the universe (which is incredibly unlikely)
2 - the vacuum of space in between massive objects, itself is expanding.

But if indeed our universe is closed, like a giant sphere due to the bending of space-time. we may be part of a galaxy of universes or even indeed a universe of universes similar to one-another playing with all externallities of quantum decisions. As you can see this is entering very deep philosophical waters.

Answer 2

from standard theory i would say its much unlikely
since we observe the universe expanding at an enormous rate, it would be difficult to keep an orbit with all these masses in motion.

Let's try to shrink dimensions and imagine - let's say - the earth as the universe expanding.
This expanding mass would be hard to keep in orbit around the sun (as the imaginary super sun).

whats about 'Dark Matter' ? is it growing while the universe expands, thus adding more (invisible) mass ?

I'm afraid i don't know the answer, but i would bet in an earth - sun scenario like described before, the earth would look like an exploding ball of fire and the sun having a big question mark above its north pole asking wtf going on here.

I think this question could have a more valuable answer once science figures about the nature of dark matter or the consequences arising from solving that riddle.

In this very moment we could better predict gravitational relationships of masses among each other AND things like whole orbiting universes around super-suns

Answer 3

"Universe" refers to everything that has been existence since the big-bang. The universe is made up of galaxies, which are clusters of thousands of stars. Earth is in the milky way galaxy. Solar systems rotate in galaxies and galaxies sometimes even rotate around each other. However, as a whole, space is still expanding because of the big bang. The current question physicists are interested in knowing is will this expansion last indefinitely or will the universe shrink in a "big crunch."

Answer 4

If the universe were rotating, we'd need some kind of center of gravity to rotate around. As far as we know, there is nothing like that. Plus even if it were rotating, we can only measure how fast galaxies are moving towards or away from us with redshift, not how much they are moving laterally. So even if the universe was rotating, there is now way we could tell.

Answer 5

No - physicists have never even considered that.

The universe is composed of many separate stars and galaxies, which can not be referred to as a single unit. If there was something creating a large enough magnetic field for the universe to 'orbit it' (which is impossible anyway - magnetic fields are not uniform as gravitational fields are) we'd definitely be able to detect the magnetism. Also, each body in the universe would orbit it intependently, rather than together.
It's highly unlikely.

Answer 6

Observations appear to confirm that the universe is rotating. Again, it brings me back to Simple Harmonic Motion, the key to the universe!

It is more likely to be gravitational rather than magnetic.

Answer 7

If the earth were the only thing in the universe it could not be in orbit around itself!

Answer 8

i think yes. because i think i have read about the moving solar system and maybe the whole galaxy orbiting something. as i'm a muslim i once read that our universe is borderless and it is orbiting Allah arasy. this is just my simple answer cause in islam there answers can we get through al quran. eg: the speed of light etc. thats all i can tell you. you can refer to another source that in islamic perspective.. i'm proud to be muslim..

Answer 9

Here's the real answer: nobody knows. There is also no way of finding out (that we know of, at least).

Answer 10

noo !its just that the universe is expanding!