Are we going in a particular direction?

[Silverbackman]

Many "history of the universe" pictures show the singularity or big bang at one section and the modern universe in the other direction. Examples;

http://cas.bellarmine.edu/tietjen/Evolution/History of the Universe.gif

http://map.gsfc.nasa.gov/ContentMedia/990053_2s.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b4/Universe_expansion.png

So is the universe traveling a particular path while expanding? And if we were to go back to the other end of the universe would we arrive at where the singularity is (or was)?

 

[Garth]

The short answer is: No!

However, a fuller answer would also explain that in such a diagram the line along which the universe appears to travel is the time line. So in a sense the universe is travelling, or at least our conscious perception is that it is travelling, from the past into the future.

The BB happened everywhere, and everywhere is expanding away from everwhere else in the expanding universe; it is space itself that expands and carries everything else along with it.

I hope this helps,

Garth

 

[Chronos]

Hard to give directions in the universe. The only reference frame that is relevant is yours. Lorentz started this mess, and Einstein finished it off with GR.