how far does the universe extend to?

Answer 1

The Universe is everything out there in space in all directions from us. We really don' know the full extent of space, and once you get up into monstrous numbers of miles it really becomes pointless to discuss some of these distances because most people have nothing that they can relate the actual distances to here on Earth.

For example: Right now Astronomers and Scientists can see objects in deep space with our very best optical telescope equipment at distances of 13 Billion Light Years in all directions from Earth. Using Radio Telescopes, scientists have been able to detect objects out in deep space at distances of 40 Billion Light Years (again, in all directions from Earth). Remember that one Light Year is equal to 6 Trillion Miles. So the maximum distance at which we can detect things (a limitation of our detection equipment) is 40 Billion Light Years in all directions. However, that does not mean that the "end" of space is at 40 Bil. L.Y., it goes on and on for we don't know how far... It is rather useless to try and measure distance from here out to nothing in deep space...the nothing could move around pretty easy. Maybe in a few years some new developments will come along which will permit our "seeing" out to distances of 50, 60, or 70 Billion Light Years. Only time will tell.

Answer 2

We can see out for about 13.4 billion light-years. The best thinking is that the universe extends for at least 78 billion light-years or so in all directions Whatever the size is, there is no "end" of the universe -- it just curves back on itself, a little bit like the surface of a round ball. (except that a ball has a inside, a surface, and an outside, but the universe is all surface, without inside or outside.)

Answer 3

There are some really good answers on this question...probably why most of them are top contributors, huh? I don't really understand how the Universe can be anymore than 28 billion light years from end to end, when the Big Bang was 14 billion years ago. It should be no more than 14 billion light years from the center, because it is expanding at the speed of light.

Answer 4

The observable universe is a sphere with a diameter of 92–94 billion light-years (we can see for 46.5 billion in each direction)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Observable_universe

beyond that we don't know.

AND we don't even know the shape of the universe.
these might be three possible shapes...
http://map.gsfc.nasa.gov/ContentMedia/990006b.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shape_of_the_universe

Answer 5

No matter what anyone else tells you, the plain and simple answer is that science doesn't know for certain. All recent research and observations, particularly the WMAP mission, strongly implies that our universe is infinite and has no edge.

Answer 6

To forever it is like asking what number comes after trillions of zillions and how many grains of sand are on this beach.How many bacteria do you carry.Even Einstein did not know what an end of space is.

Answer 7

no one knows. it may never end

Answer 8

We don't know. Infinite?

Answer 9

really farrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr ect.