Center of the Universe? Edge of Space?

Question

Has the scientific world ever located the center of the universe?
In the event the center of the Universe has been determined, would that mean the planets/stars closest to the center would be the oldest?
The latter would be a good assumption that any form of life would have originated in this region?

Edge of space?

Let us say we could develop a concept where we could travel to the very edge of space.
1. As space expands our movement through space can exceed the latter, if we push past the edge of space where would we be?
Perhaps, in another dimension?

I am not a science major only a theologian with many degrees.
Furthermore, i use many forms of reasoned discourse to analyze life.
However, i respect science since it is also a mystery that is before our eyes each day.
Please, no jokes only answeres with some substance.

Answer 1

We have to try to abandon our very human tendency to think that the universe is made of space. Einstein told us it isn't just space, but hyperspace, or spacetime. And when you look at our expanding spacetime universe from that perspective, it seems to me that the centre of the universe is the Big Bang; yet this Big Bang is a place that is outside of our universe.

Yes, it would seem to follow that stars and planets located "near" the Big Bang are the oldest, but that would not mean there was more time for life to develop there; on the contrary, there was LESS time for life to develop near the Big Bang, because the universe was so much "younger" at that place. So if you wanted to increase your chances of finding life, you should look away from the Big Bang in spacetime... in other words, in some directly opposite direction than "toward the Big Bang".

Confused yet? Then just try to think about the edge of the universe ! Such a term is meaningless because the universe is made of curved spacetime. There is no edge of space in our Einsteinian universe.

Let's use a familiar analogy of planet Earth with one little modification: let's say our planet Earth is expanding. We spend most of our time on its surface and so it is quite possible to limit our conception of our home planet to a 2 dimensional plane with a few mountains and valleys to make it more interesting than the Bonneville Salt Flats. If we are limited as such; let's say we all belong to the Church of the Flat Earth Society whose Commandments are as follows:

1. "The Earth is Flat! All else is heresy!"...
2. "We have observed various effects on our Flat Earth that show that it is expanding: Therefore we know that in the past it was smaller than it is now and so at some point if we go back far enough, we know it was just a point with zero width and volume and enough mass to make the whole Flat Earth; a flat singularity! Then came the Flat Bang, and the Flat Earth just started spreading out flat in all directions on our plane from that infinitessimally small flat point. Anybody who contests this fact will be branded a heretic and executed."

Now on our expanding Flat Earth, we look around us, and we can measure or even see that objects are slowly moving apart from us and from each other over the days, months and years . . . and we go on blissfully unaware of what is really happening, because we cannot get our heads around a basic fact: The Earth is not a 2d plane, but it is rather a 3d sphere that stared out as a tiny point and then expanded in all directions ON A SPHERE at once.

Now, let's look at your questions and see how our Flat Earthlings would answer:

Where is the Centre of the Flat Earth? The Flat Earthling might answer... Well... it's somewhere on the Flat Earth... at the Temple of the Mountain where the Two Commandments were handed down . . . or some other such answer... or perhaps a more insightful Flat Earther might say: There is no centre of Flat Earth, because Flat Earth is expanding everywhere equally.

And what about the Edge of Flat Earth. The Flat Earther will say "Well our Flat Earth is inifinite: It goes on forever... there is no edge."... or perhaps; the Earth is so infinitely large that nobody has yet ever managed to go to the edge, let alone detect it.

Of course, from a 3d perspective we say the centre of the Earth is straight DOWN... and as far as the edge goes, like Christopher Columbus, we confidently announce that the Earth has no edge because it is round (spherical actually)... Our 4d spacetime universe is like that; it has no edge because spacetime is warped... into what polychronal shape we don't know; and if it has any centre at all, I think it would be the Big Bang... on the other hand, we can understand that the Big is no more a part of our spacetime universe than the Earth's centre is a part of its surface...

Perhaps, in another dimension? . . Yes: it's just a question of finding the direction "down", in a higher dimension, from where we are in our spacetime universe to the Big Bang, and then go the exact opposite direction ... then you would truly be leaving the universe just as you leave Earth when you go up.

It's complicated.

Answer 2

if you are a non-science type person, this concept is gonna be hard... real hard, BUT we can get around that with a metaphor.

think about a balloon. A lot of people see the Universe as a balloon. The Big Bang- the first puff of air. Keep blowing, the Universe gets bigger and bigger! It's expanding! Somewhere inside that balloon is our Milky Way galaxy and of course, the center... and the skin of the balloon is the edge.

Problem is, its all wrong. This model only works if there is space outside the balloon, too. There is NO space outside the Universe, but don't worry about that, yet.

Here's the metaphor... take a moment to think about it.

The Universe IS a balloon... slowly being inflated, except we are not INSIDE, we are on the surface of the balloon. Now, assuming we are on the balloon's skin... where is the center? Where is the edge?

See the problem?

Answer 3

we cant determine the center of the universe because from our point of view the earth seems as if it is at the center of the universe and that most galaxies are moving away. which it is technically possible that the milky way is the center of the universe its very unlikely. we can only see about 46 lightyears in every direction, and at the boundary of our sight galaxies can still be seen. which means that the universe is larger than we can see. and if we cant see all of it then we cant determine the center.

and as for the edge of space, its really a moot point. space-time has to have a speed of expansion, everything does. nothing is instananeous, that illogical. if something was instantaneous it could be anywhere in the universe at all times. and that speed has to be equal to or faster than the speed of light. and since we can never reach or exceed the speed of light we will never see the end of the universe.

and if we somehow were able to you wouldnt be able to tell that space is ending. that would imply a large wall or barrier in space. if thats true there has to be something on the otherside of the barrier, but theres not because there is no space. so logically that leads to the conclusion that the universe never ends, but wraps around onto itself like a mobius strip.

the first guy is 100% wrong. the universe is not infinite.

Answer 4

I think the answer can be put in simpler terms. Picture a 4th of July starburst firework exploding in the sky. All the material is compacted together in a point until it explodes. Everything is at the center and starts expanding together. Nothing is younger or older (a stars age is not due to its closeness to the BB "center"). Unlike the atmosphere that the firework explodes into, space itself is created and expands with the Big Bang. There may be other universes outside our space, and we all may be part of a "multiverse". Other dimensions can theoretically exist in our universe or in others. I'm sure that as a theologian you have pondered whether the author of "Let there be light," had some insight into the Big Bang.

Answer 5

1. There is no such thing as the centre of the universe. Although the Big Bang predicts that there is a point for the explosion, the 'point' was infinite mass and thus infinite in size - so the Big Bang happened everywhere at the same time.

2. There is no such thing as an edge of space. An infinite universe by definition has no edge. There is, of course, a limit to what is observable.

Answer 6

Part of Einsteins theory is that there is no center.

The analogy to the surface of a balloon is the correct one. Where is the center or the edge of the surface of a balloon?

The "balloon" of the universe has more dimensions, but the principal is the same.

It's not really relevant to this question, but as a theologian with an interest in science you might find this website interesting.

http://www.reasons.org/

Answer 7

space is infinite. and there are millions of universes like ours with planets like ours. i have a $7000.00 dollar telescope that i got for my birthday. and i can see other solar systems with their planets also i have recorded many and uploaded them to my website.
there we are not center of the universe, also our entire universe is moving as stated in my college books. our solar system is slowly moving in an arc form, that means over millions we will make a complete circle. so there is a center but we (me and my astromony coworkers) can not locate it due to insuccifent funds from the government and we would need to be alive for millions of vears to get a peice of an arc and then locate the center using phys and math.
from:
Doc. P.

Answer 8

Dear Sir:

I will respectfully attempt to respond to your questions:

First let me begin with a small correction to your question as it was stated...Space itself is not expanding (as far as we know). Things within it are moving apart (some at blinding speeds), and this is often called "expanding."

Second let me promise you that no one of any technical reputation has ever ventured a statement as to the total size of space. What we do know is that Astronomers can "see" objects in deep space at distances of up to 13 Billion Light Years from Earth in all directions using the most advanced optical telescope arrays. We also know that Radio Telescope Scientists can detect objects in Deep Space at distances of up to 40 Billion Light Years from Earth in all directions. So using either of the two figures we can postulate that "at the very least" we know (because we can "see" things out there) that space is at least a sphere 13 Billion Light Years in radius...or 40 Billion Light Years if you use the second figure.

Those figures also do not portend the "edge" of space, they are merely where our equipment fails to provide us with any useable information. Space extends far beyond that...farther than most terrestrails can fathom with information gleaned from a lifetime of existance on a planet where distances are measured in feet and inches, meters and miles, etc...No learned frame of reference exists within their minds. In fact, the study of space requires an expansion of many of the learned concepts beyond what comes natural all the time.

Common folk repeatedly come in here and ask what will happen after the end, and what existed before the beginning. Questions like these suggest a lack of understanding about what is reasonable to discuss and what is pure fiction and conjecture.

Center of the Universe. The center of the universe has been calculated by many student astronomers by plotting the movement of selected objects in space. By using advanced math, one can detect the direction of present movement and reverse the direction to determine where it came from. project along that line far enough and one will eventually find a point where "most" , repeat, "most " things seem to come together. Calculation of that point reveals a distance line that is some 13 Billion years in length. This is the extrapolation which reveals the age of the general universe that we know and understand. Since all things are moving in space, the particular point which is/was the center cannot, however, be readily be marked by a starting flag or a permanent "X" as it were.

I recommend that you obtain a copy of Ian Ridpath's book, ASTRONOMY, DK Publishing, NY,NY. While I own over 50 texts on Astronomy, Ridpath is my favorite author and seems to present things in a delightful manner which I enjoy. he suggestrs that after the Big Bang there were sufficient materials available for the accumulation of super bodies such a Megasuns which over time burned up and exploded and sent out huge bursts of materials and gases. These materials travel in different paths from the original objects formed from the Big Bang. Other stars are born, shine for a period, and either go dark, or, also explode, all the time. In fact, certain loctions within deep space are what is called hatcheries for new stars because those portions of space contain huge clouds of floating gases that are absent from most places in space.

Another dimension...
This is fantasy.
No one knows sufficient information about out own current dimension to project where or how an additional dimension might exist. I grant you that there are discussions of worm holes and projections for travel through a black hole and out the other end into a new dimension after having been burned to a crisp and irradiated to dust as a healthy space explorer.

I hope that some of this is helpful to you.

Zahbudar at yahoo dot com