Center of the Universe - Is it Possible?

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The discussion centers on the concept of whether a center of the universe exists, challenging the common notion that there is no center due to the universe's expansion. Participants argue that while the balloon analogy illustrates a 2D perspective, the universe is 3D, leading to the possibility of identifying a central point based on the distribution of galaxies. The conversation delves into the implications of the Big Bang, suggesting that it created space itself rather than expanding into pre-existing space. There is also debate about the nature of time and space, with some asserting that time did not exist before the Big Bang, complicating the idea of a definable center. Ultimately, the topic raises fundamental questions about our understanding of the universe's structure and the nature of its expansion.
  • #61
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I have two arrows on this screenshot... One (on top) points to somewhere around where Earth is... The second, points to a giant bright glowing center of our universe (at least, I think it is our universe - is there something bigger than our universe but smaller than "everything"?). What is the giant glowing thing... Of course, you could argue that SOMEONE created this 3d depiction of our universe, so maybe they are wrong... But I have seen this same concept in several different depictions, so there has to be some logic behind the giant glowing light... Can anyone answer?
 
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  • #62
Actually, by definition, the universe IS everything. I know there's a new popular movement about the "multi-verse", but that's ultimately semantics. The "universe" is intended to describe everything that is.

What you appear to have a picture of is not the universe, but a galaxy. There are a gajillion galaxies in the universe. I'm not sure that the giant glow in the center of galaxies has an official name, but I'm sure someone on here can answer for you if it does. The "glowing" is due to a greater clustering of stars and space dust, which both emit and reflect a great amount of light.

I hope that helps!
 
  • #63
seanm, yes as Hoku points out, what you have there is not a picture of the universe, but a picture of a galaxy, specifically a spiral galaxy. Our galaxy is called the Milky Way, and it is but one of billions in the universe. There's another one nearby, called Andromeda, about 2 million light years away.

The central area in a spiral galaxy is called by many names - most often the core or the central bulge. It's a dense packing of millions and millions of stars.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galaxy
 

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