- #1
DaveC426913
Gold Member
- 22,558
- 6,212
A simple question. No tricks here. Yes or no.
cristo said:I'm not really sure the point of this poll. As has been discussed here many times, the universe does not have a centre.
Can I use this thread to request about privileged direction ? Is there an axis of evil in WMAP data on the CMB ? Will Planck's polarization data help resolve this question ?cristo said:I'm not really sure the point of this poll. As has been discussed here many times, the universe does not have a centre.
Chaos' lil bro Order said:I would reckon an infinite # of centers given the current models.
Question: As marcus points out, the Universe as we know it is comprised of the observable and hyper universe. Personally I think this is a stupid idea to envisage a hyper universe beyond what is observable, ...
Phrak said:If you re-read marcus, rejecting a greater universe--beyond what is observable--requires that you accept the solar system as uniquely centered in the universe.
marcus said:Dave I hope everybody realizes that in currently understood cosmology the observable portion is distinguished from the whole universe. The "observable universe" is one thing, and the "universe" is something else. You learn that in your first General Astro course in college.
The observable obviously has us and the Milkyway galaxy as center because it extends out in all directions to the farthest matter that we have so far gotten light from. Since it doesn't make sense to ask---obviously it is a big ball with us at the center---I assume your question is about the universe proper, not just what we so far have gotten signals from.
How you picture that depends on which version of the standard cosmo model you use, but in no case does it have a center.
There has been much discussion and research about a rotating universe. Not sure what the general consensus is these days.Galteeth said:Ok, this may be a dumb question, but hypothetically, if it was found that the entire universe was rotating, would the axis along which it was rotating constitute a center?
Gödel's rotating universe model doesn't have a specific axis of rotation.Galteeth said:Ok, this may be a dumb question, but hypothetically, if it was found that the entire universe was rotating, would the axis along which it was rotating constitute a center?
JnWaco said:Pardon me, I'm nowhere near as smart as the dumbest one of you guys, being I'm not a scientist, but is Hubble's "constant" (Ho) uniform in every direction from the Earth?
I'd like to point out that physics and cosmology are a recent interest in mine, though I have no scientific training beyond college calculus II and the basic physics courses (I'm a CPA). Thanks for letting a novice participate.
Chaos' lil bro Order said:Its a good question. As far as I recall from about 5 years ago the constant was 71km/hr/mpc and the plot of galaxies used held to this quite well for all directions. But maybe and expert can give a better answer here.
The current understanding in physics is that the universe does not have a center in the traditional sense. The Big Bang theory suggests that the universe began as an infinitely dense and small point, but since then, it has been expanding and does not have a fixed center point.
No, there is no evidence for a center of the universe. Observations of the cosmic microwave background radiation, the oldest light in the universe, show that the universe is isotropic, meaning it appears the same in all directions. This supports the idea that the universe has no center.
While the concept of a Center of Mass is used in physics to describe the average position of matter in a system, it does not necessarily indicate a physical center. In the case of the universe, the Center of Mass is constantly shifting due to the expansion of the universe.
It is highly unlikely that there is a center of the universe that we are unable to detect. Our current understanding of the universe and its expansion does not support the existence of a hidden or undetectable center point.
The absence of a center in the universe challenges our traditional understanding of space and time. It suggests that the universe is infinite and does not have a specific starting point. This concept also raises questions about the structure and shape of the universe, as well as the possibility of parallel universes or alternate dimensions.