Does the Universe have a true "North" or "Up"/ "Down"?

Answer 1

North and South refer to pointing to the North and South Poles while you are on earth, and would be meaningess in space. Some plantes, (Uranus) have an axis that points a different way from the others, so North and South is no absolute away from the earth. Up is away from the ground on earth or whatever planet you are on, down is toward it. NO absolute up and down if you are in space, you could be moving toward one planet (down?) and away from another, (up?) at the same time.

Answer 2

North and South have meaning only in relation to rotational motion. Most scientists agree that the universe does not rotate. With an estimated diameter of 13.7 billion lightyears, and a speed limit of the speed of light, it couldn't be rotating very fast, could it? Besides, every point in the BigBang universe is supposed to be the center, so which center would it rotate around?

Answer 3

"North is described as something magnetic pointing to the magnetic center of an area. Unless the universe had a center of magnetism, it would be so strong that it would overwhelm the Earths magnetic feild or so weak it could not be picked up by our instruments.

"Up" and "down" are described from a center of gravity. Up is different for the North pole and South pole. Down is the way gravity pulls. Up is the opposite.

Answer 4

Nope, for that to be true, there would have to be local centers of charge at either end. Aside from being kind of ridiculous, even if such places did exist, it would still be meaningless because of the nature of the universe, which is finite (meaning it's limited in space) and boundless (meaning that you can keep going and never hit the end of it--you'll eventually end up where you started. This has to do with the curvature of space-time nearing the so-called boundary).

Answer 5

the question has been asked many times in many ways. originally it was thought the that the earth moves though an "ether" that carried light waves. this was superseded by Einstein's curved space universe. With no ether, then the earth would not be moving though it in any particular direction. the closest thing that might relate ( lately) is the mysterious "Higgs field" which provides a theoretical link between the electro/weak file and gravity and is invoked with physicists try to calculate the mass of sub- atomic particles. The Higgs field is not equal in all directions and dimensions and thus one coul dconstrue this to be sort of a "north" this theory is currertly be tested in particle accelerators where the elusive "higgs particle" is being sought.

Answer 6

oh poor earth-bound humans. we think in such slender dimensional thinking. on earth we see things as black or white, up or down, in or out but when we delve into the universe, things aren't what we thought. with the absence of gravity, we find up & down absent (kinda'). to have an "UP" in mind, we need a fixed point to regulate the "UP" and since that is not around, alas, no! there is no up. in fact, compass points are regulated to the dust bins as well. as we go into space & explore the universe away from the comforts of our couch at home, a whole new set of physical laws will need to be explored & learned. such prepositions as 'away', 'from', 'in' & 'out' should still apply. however, our vocabulary will have to change to fit the new situation. not to mention our way of thinking but that's another story. so in answer to your question, no - no nannette!

Answer 7

No. That would require a preferred direction to space itself, which a Big Bang universe is not supposed to have.

Answer 8

No....... up/down, North/south are all earth bound principles that describe motion relative ot us on the earth.

Answer 9

No, there is no "center" of the universe, and all direction is relative to motion instead of location.

Answer 10

i really dont think so, because the universe is all on one plain, u cant go up/down, north/south.

good question, though. ;}