Whats the Structure of the Universe? Are the galaxies arranged on the surface of a sphere?

Question

Why can't we see the whole universe? Does the term "universe" refer to space, or to the matter in it, or to both?

Answer 1

Galaxies are not arranged on the surface of neither a three dimensional sphere or four dimensional one. It is just the expansion of the universe which is modelled like the expansion of a four dimensional sphere. The galaxies themselves may occupy the space time inside the space-time sphere.

We cant see the whole universe because the expansion of the universe is accelerating, and it can exceed the speed of light, as expansion of the universe means the enlargement of space-time itself, instead of galaxies moving away from one another. But I am not sure if something which have speed exceeding the speed of light is considered inside our universe.

Answer 2

No, the galaxies are randomly positioned throughout the universe.

We can't see the whole universe for 3 different reasons:
1. The universe is too big and we don't have the tools to see all the way to the ends of the universe.
2. There are nearby objects blocking farther objects from view.
3. There is matter called "dark matter" that has mass but cannot be seen.

The universe refers to the both the matter and the space between the matter.

Answer 3

The German word for universe is "Weltall" or for short, "ALL".

It includes space, matter, energy, dark matter, and perhaps things not yet discovered.

There are two conflicting theories on the structure of the universe. One is that it is an expanding sphere, the other that it is infinite with galaxies moving apart from each other.

Mathematically both are sound in theory-with infinity leading the day.

Cosmology is the study of the universe and how it may have come to be, and what will happen to it in the future. Steven Hawking, wrote many books on this you might find interesting. however they are not simple.

Huh?
4 brane means 3 dimensions and time.
The word troposphere stems from the Greek "tropos" for "turning" or "mixing." The troposphere is the most turbulent part of the atmosphere and is the part of the atmosphere in which most weather phenomena are seen. The troposphere is stirred by convection currents driven by heat from the Sun. This theory was popular in the 18th century when we believed that space was filled with ether. Cosmology ignores this babble today.

The standard model of cosmology predicts that the universe is infinite and flat. However, cosmologists in France and the US are now suggesting that space could be finite and shaped like a dodecahedron instead. They claim that a universe with the same shape as the twelve-sided polygon can explain measurements of the cosmic microwave background – the radiation left over from the big bang – that spaces with more mundane shapes cannot.

Many things can tank this theory-inferior instruments, only measuring the little back yard of our part of the universe,
etc. It is a new and interesting theory however, but could only be a lucky match of data.

Answer 4

The structure of the universe, as far as we know it, is something like a 4-brane troposphere, with 3 physical dimensions and time, often referred to as space-time.

However, this is incomplete, as shown by the incompatibility of quantum mechanics and general relativity. We're missing something. It might be string theory, but it may not.

No, we are not arranged on the surface of a sphere. Absolutely no.

The reasons we can't see the whole universe are complex. Suffice to say Inflation Theory explains why nicely.

Universe is everything. Space, time, matter, antimatter, dark matter, energy, dark energy, particles, forces, and everything and anything inbetween.

Answer 5

xc Firstly what "robert B" wrote to you is completely nonsense.

No, the galaxies are not arranged in any kind. The galaxies in the universe are not spread homogeneously though.

The term universe refers to what we live in and to all matter in it, space as well as matter, all that as one big "thing".

We cannot see the whole thing because it's just too giant. We are linmited to the bounderies of speed of light ... and the possible resolution of space telescopes like hubble ... we cannot "look" any further than about 13 billion ly yet. Who knows what we might see if one day we can.

Answer 6

we can't see the whole universe because the speed of light is finite, and the time since "recombination" (often called the big bang, but that happened about 380,000 years earlier) is also finite. before recombination, the universe was opaque to light. so we can only see a spherical region containing objects whose light was emitted less that 14 billion years ago, sometimes called the visible universe (although many objects are too faint to see, they can be seen in principle). it is the cosmic background radiation, not the galaxies, that is arranged on the surface of this sphere. there is no reason to think that this visible region is the whole universe though. the term refers to all space, time, matter and energy - all physical 'stuff'.

Answer 7

uni means one
verse means one line and it has other meanings if you look up the dictionary and somehow this word gives me a feeling of mystery
So there is only one universe. Personally I don't think the universe has a structure. It is infinite. If you believe that there was a Big Bang, you should also believe that materials were scattered out from that Big Bang meaning that the materials are all over the universe. Probably you should also wonder if the Big Bang came from one big massive body that exploded somewhat and gave birth to other stars and other planets. We can go on and on and on speculating. And the scientists can come up with theories after theories after theories. I don't think that as long as Earth lives and as long as human beings exist, we will ever know the answer. The first human constructed unmanned spacecraft is said to have flew out of our solar system and enter deep space. Too bad we will never know what it sees and what it knows. It will keep all the secrets to itself and who knows if it will still float through space while Earth ceases to exist. We hope that Voyager 1 and 2 will never crash into anything.

Answer 8

I'll answer your questions in reverse. Universe refers to everything contained within itself. We can't see the whole universe, cuz the farther into space we look the earlier epochs cloud the view, a consequence of Relativity. Galaxies are arranged like raisins in bread. It all appears 2D seen from earth, another consequence of Relativity. The universe is structured in spacetime.

Answer 9

Depends on who you believe. Most scientists believe the universe is roughly spherical, but the galaxies are not just on the surface. They are spaced throughout the inside of the sphere, as well.

The universe refers to everything--space, the matter, all of it

Answer 10

Universe=space and everything in it, planets, stars, asteroids, black holes...

The galaxies are not places on a sphere, they are spread through the universe.