What is the size of the universe?

Answer 1

156 billion light-years wide (plus or minus a few kilometers)

At the same time, it is 13.7 billion years old.

All is explained in the link:

Answer 2

Assuming the "Big Bang" is correct, and the age of the universe is 13.7 billion years, then the maximum size of the universe is 27.4 billion light-years.

Assuming the "Big Bang" is correct, and the universe is 78 billion years old instead of 13.7, as the article suggests, then the maximum size of the universe is 156 billion light-years.

The point is that if the "Big Bang" is correct, then the matter from which everything is made is traveling outward at the speed of light from that point and from that time... and the FARTHEST that it can travel is the distance that light can travel in that same amount of time. It makes no difference how long it took for the stars to form and for photons to start traveling the other direction. It simply means that, if those new calculations are correct, then the universe is older than it was previously understood to be. You cannot have a universe that is larger in light-years in radius than its age in years, without throwing out the "Big Bang" altogether. It would imply faster-than-light particulate matter.

I'm not saying that the Big Bang can't be wrong. I'm just saying that if you base your calculations on the presupposition that there was a Big Bang, then the Universal Matter must behave accordingly and the maximum radius is established by the speed of light.
So... pick your favorite universal age, and double it for the size. Whether or not the universe is "infinite," the edge of the universe can be thought of as the point where all matter ceases to exist and that in turn would be bounded by time and maximum velocity from the starting point.

If the size of the universe is 156 billion light years diameter and the age of the universe is 13.7 billion years, then that would be proof that the Big Bang theory was false. I would be more ready to believe that the universe was 78 billion years old instead of 13.7, or that whoever came up with 156 billion light-years was full of ****.

Answer 3

If the Big Bang is the way it work, Gamma Radaition and Xrays were emitted first at the speed of light and they just go out and keep going straight.

If there were photos of light they were heading OUTWARD after the Gamma Radation.

It is beleived all the Hydrogen in the universe was created sometime between 5 mintues and 24 hours after the Big Bang.

It is at this point that Stars, Planets and Galaxies started to from from hot plasma, hydrogen and heavier mateierals being spit out.

The Galaxies and stars travel at much slower speed than Gamma rays

SO if we are seeing LIGHT 14 billion years old and it's ben travelling nd is now 78 Billion Miles away and it's travelling at FAR less than light, the GAMMA RAYS first emitted as background noise are out even further,hence the universe could be 500 billion miles wide or even wider!

There's just no STARS out there, only XRAYS and GAMMA rays

Answer 4

Dear Ant...

First of all, it is impossible to measure from here out to nothing in the distance.

Given that statement, astronomers claim that the fartherest seeable objects in outer space are 45
billion light years away from the Sun in all directions.
If anything is beyond that we just don't know. Besides,
that is such a phenominal number to contemplate, who
could really care what is beyond that? Nobody is ever
going to go there.

Answer 5

Probably inversely proportional to the size of the smallest particle.... But what if you divide the smallest particle in half? Wouldn't that particle be smaller...

Like Buzz Lightyear said in Toy Story 1 and 2 (which my daughter is watching as I type..) "To infinity and beyond..."

Answer 6

Its pretty darn ginormous, in a relative way.
This measurement is based on Perspective and Conception so it is in flux.
But ginormous describes it best.
From our viewpoint.

Answer 7

Extra large

Answer 8

super-huge.

and yes, that's exact..