2007-06-02 11:44:30 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
It all depends on the geometry of space. If the universe is "closed," having a spherical geometry, if you were to fly off into space you would eventually come back to your origin. If the universe is "open," having a saddle shape, the universe has an infinite amount of space to expand into, but you are bound to the geometry of space, unable to go into the infinity. If the universe is "flat", having a flat geometry, then if you would to try to get to the universe's end, you could only travel as fast as the univerese's expansion rate, and thene eventually, the universe would stop expanding at an infinite point in the future. So it all depends on the geometry. A far as we know, the universe is self contained, but can expand infinitely within a finite space, which would probably be the "boundaries".
2007-06-02 12:22:36 · answer #1 · answered by curbionicle 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
At this time the official answer is:
From where we are, using our present level of optical and radio telescope equipment we can see out to a distance of 40 Billion Light Years in every direction. Beyond that our equipment fails to provide us with any useful information. that is not the end of space, it is the technical limitation of our equipment. Maybe in a few years we will reach some new milestone in equipment development and be able to extend that to say, 60 Billion Light years in every direction. Who knows?
There is no end of space, known, projected, expected, or defined. It is not anywhere, only in the minds of Earth bound types who cannot comprehend the vastness of outer space, and try to understand it in Earthbound terms which do not apply to discussions of space and the Universe.
So that you may see the futility of this probing question, please take paper and pencil and write down in MILES, the complete distance of 40 Billion Light Years. That is one immense number that you have to try and write out to begin to see the foolishness of arguing about where it ends, etc.
nobody has ever been to the fringes of outer space, nobody is ever going there, and what is most important, were they ever to go there, they would never come back. Any message they might send back via radio (say an EMail) would take 40 Billion Years to reach us and we are not going to be alive to receive it. Read this carefully so you get the complete concept in your mind. Now, 40 Billion Light Years does not equal infinity, but for all practical purposes it might as well be infinity because it is larger than anything else around.
2007-06-02 20:54:35 · answer #2 · answered by zahbudar 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are currently 3 tmain theroies:
The big rip: According to Hubble's law, as two objects go away from each other, their gravities will not effect each other. As the universe continues to expand, the further the galaxies are from each other, the faster they are moving away from Each Other. Also, Dark matter is pulling the Galaxies. Soon enough the galaxies will seperate and be ripped apart (stars will not be in galactic groups, but seperate in space). Soon, every little atomic particle will be ripped apart
The Big Crunch: Since the big bang, the Universe has been expanding. However, cosmotologists believe that perhaps the the force that pushed the universe out, which is still working today, will eventually be overpowered by the force of gravity, adn everything in the Universe will come baqck together to a center point.
The Big Freeze: The universe will continue to expand untill all of the stars burn out their fuel, and possible have already rjipped apart from galaxies (see big rip) Once most of them have burned out theior fuels, there would be not enough matter for nebulei to create new stars, and the universe would be "still" in a big freeze
2007-06-02 20:09:41 · answer #3 · answered by Crystal 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
what a bloody good question!
erm, since the universive is expanding near the speed of light, i think you will never ever see the end! it is just expanding into infinite 3d dimensions!
thats what i think!
2007-06-02 18:54:46 · answer #4 · answered by milo13 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
apparently according to scientists it never ends...
it has to though every beginning has an end.
including life.
2007-06-02 18:49:38 · answer #5 · answered by Lina x3 Pete Wentz is the sex! 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universe#Size_of_the_universe_and_observable_universe
have a look at it space seing as universe
2007-06-02 18:57:29 · answer #6 · answered by Nanynha : 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well..I don't think it does end.
2007-06-02 19:10:08 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Nobody really knows.
2007-06-02 19:49:46 · answer #8 · answered by Spilamilah 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋