If a rocket got to the edge of the universe, would it bump into something or keep going outside the universe?

Answer 1

The universe doesn't have any edges.

Answer 2

there technically isnt an edge. or a middle. It sounds confusing at first especially when you say the universe began with a big bang. What is missing for it to make sense is that there are curves in space time. the debate now is what kinda curves? a ball a saddle or a torus. so if you traveled in your percived straight line you would eventually end up somewhere else and probably away from the edge that you seek since it all curves back unto itself. another example is the fact that everything you see is at the center of the universe. since it all came from the same big bang. all galaxies were once in the center. However it seems very counter-intuitive to not have an edge. I personally feel like even the above supplied answer doesnt seem to make sense. but thats the universe for ya. its not just wierd. Its wierder than wierd.

Answer 3

If the universe were compact and without boundary, it would be possible after traveling a sufficient distance to arrive back where one began. Hence, the light from stars and galaxies could pass through the observable universe more than once. If the universe were multiply-connected and sufficiently small (and of an appropriate, perhaps complex, shape) then conceivably one might be able to see once or several times around it in some (or all) directions. Although this possibility has not been ruled out, the results of the latest cosmic microwave background research make this appear very unlikely.

Answer 4

A set of books by Stephen Hawking, could provide the best answer.
1. Brief History of Time.
2. The Universe in a Nutshell.

Answer 5

the edge of the universe? that depends on the definition you choose: Visible, known, or theoretical. and to do that the rocket would have to moving at a speed claimed impossible:
> SOL. As far as the edge of the visible, it'd keep going, same for the known.

Answer 6

an interesting thought experiment....the universe is actually expanding outward, at the speed of light, or close to it...therefore, a rocket would never reach the end of the universe because the universe it expanding faster than the rocket could go. even if the rocket could travel at the speed of light, it still wouldn't be able to surpass the edges of the universe. Since nothing can travel faster than the speed of light (according to modern physics, anyways) the idea of getting "outside" of the universe is impossible...

Answer 7

Hello Tatzel...

At this very moment there is agreement between scientists and astronomers (See book ASTRONOMY, By Ian Ridpath, DK Publishing, NY NY) that the fartherest distance at which we can currently see objects in space is 40 Billion Light Years in all directions from Earth using our best and most sophisticated optical and radio telescope equipment. Beyond that range our equipment fails to provide us with any useable information - equipment limitation. That is not the end of space. It is just where our equipment sort of craps out, if you will allow that phrase to be used. Maybe some day in the future a new improvement or technology will pop onto the market which extends our vision out to maybe 60 or 70 Billion Light Years. We will just have to see...

Anyhow, your question about a rocket ship going to the edge of space... No "edge" or "end" has ever been detected, observed, mapped, or estimated. If a rocket were to try and approach the mythical "end" of space, it would have to travel a bare minimum of 41 Billion Light Years to get into the vicinity of what we don't know anything about. Since rocket ships DO NOT travel at the speed of light (more likely, about 30,000 Miles Per Hour), any such rocket ship would be on that journey for about 677,790 Billion Years. Since the Earth is scheduled to be toasted (burned to a crisp) by the demise of our Sun in 4 to 5 Billion Years, I fear that no one would ever hear of that rocket ship ever again. It might be sort of like turning off one of the old fashioned Television Sets where the picture went down to a tiny little dot right in the center of the screen as the power went off. The rocket ship would just go right off into nothing.

The problem seems to be located in Earthbound Students making an attempt to comprehend Space in Earthbound Terms and in relation to Earthbound Experiences. On Earth we can see the bottom and top of a tree, and get an excellent idea of its length, etc. With Space, it is hard to grasp the idea that there might not be a "top", and that the bottom, and sides are so immensely far away that they are undefineable, and might not exist. The concept is very hard for some people to grasp. However, I will tell you this... 40 Billion Light Years in every possible direction from Earth is one heck of a long distance, and, you know, for my usage here at this desk at home, 40 Billion Light Years might as well be infinite...

Besides...Have you ever heard of any stars, planets, or galaxies bouncing off of the wall on the left side of the Universe and coming back at us like pool balls bouncing off the side of a pool table??? No??? I didn't think so.

Answer 8

this is such an odd thing and i always just end up really confused and lost in thought when thinking about it.
I always think "everything has and end to it. But then if the Universe ends, there must be something else that holds IT ans something else that holds that and so on and so on, so there must be no end, but then again if there is no end how is there so much space? like when two mirrors are infront of each other, the repeated image never stops, just keeps getting smaller and smaller the deeper you go.

Answer 9

Gravity pulls space back in on itself so that you can never reach the end of the universe but the universe is also not infinite. Go figure.

Answer 10

it will go trough the 'wall'.It's made of plutonium plasma,hydrogen,water,other materials,and many other things.After that,the rocket will enter the next universe.