Can We Aim Our Telescopes Towards the Edge of the Universe?

[@nonymous]

If we are not located at the center of the universe, then when we look out into space are we not sometimes looking towards the center of the universe and at other times towards maybe the edge of the universe. Assume the universe is finite- since we put an age on it, and the fact that it is expanding. Then why can,t we aim our telescopes towards the edge of the universe, if there is one. The Hubble deep field pictures supposedly took in photons that had traveled for some 13 + billions years to get to the telescope, what does that mean? Thirteen billion years for the center of the universe, across the diameter, what?
Also if we could aim a telescope at the edge, would we maybe detect photons that have only traveled a max of a billion years to reacher the telescopes detectors.

This was filled with assumptions, but i think I got the question across.

 

[phinds]

It is not known whether or not the universe is infinite or finite but it is well known that there is no center and there is no edge. This can be with EITHER finite or infinite.

This question comes up here a couple of times a week, so a forum search will give you a ton of information.

 

[Drakkith]

As Phinds said it is unknown whether the universe is finite or infinite in size. However, it is known that if it is indeed finite, the size is bigger than we can observe. This is because every direction we look simply looks the same as the one before it. IE we can look just as far in every direction.

The Hubble deep field pictures supposedly took in photons that had traveled for some 13 + billions years to get to the telescope, what does that mean? Thirteen billion years for the center of the universe, across the diameter, what?

The photons from the Hubble Deep Field and Ultra Deep Field have been traveling for a time period of 13 billion years or so. They have been in transit for that long just to get to us.

Also if we could aim a telescope at the edge, would we maybe detect photons that have only traveled a max of a billion years to reacher the telescopes detectors

IF there is an edge, it is further than the current estimated distance of 40+ billion light years, which is the distance from us here on Earth to the furthest we can see. Distance in cosmology is...different...than what you and I deal with here on Earth thanks to the expansion of the Universe. The photons that reached the Hubble Space Telescope traveled for 13 billion years, yet the galaxies they were emitted from are MUCH further away now, as expansion has moved them away from us over time.

 

[@nonymous]

thats pretty cool thanks

 

[sardar]

I would like to clarify some misconceptions about the center and edge of the universe. First of all, it is important to understand that the concept of a "center" of the universe is a human construct and does not have any scientific basis. The universe does not have a specific location that can be considered its center. It is constantly expanding and does not have a fixed center point.

Additionally, the idea of an "edge" of the universe is also a misconception. The universe is infinite and does not have a physical boundary or edge. It is important to note that when we talk about the universe, we are referring to the observable universe, which is the portion of the universe that we can see and study. This observable universe is constantly expanding, but it is not expanding into anything. It is simply expanding in all directions.

When we look out into space, we are not looking towards the center or the edge of the universe. We are simply looking at different points in space that are at different distances from us. The Hubble deep field images, for example, captured light from galaxies that are billions of light-years away from us. This does not mean that we are looking towards the center of the universe, but rather we are looking at objects that are very far away from us.

Furthermore, the age of the universe is not the same as its size. The universe is estimated to be around 13.8 billion years old, but it is constantly expanding. This does not mean that it has a diameter of 13.8 billion light-years. The observable universe is currently estimated to have a diameter of around 93 billion light-years, but this is constantly changing as the universe expands.

In terms of aiming telescopes towards the "edge" of the universe, it is not possible because there is no physical edge. As mentioned earlier, the universe is infinite and does not have a boundary. Additionally, the expansion of the universe means that objects that are currently at the "edge" of the observable universe will eventually become visible to us as the universe expands.

In conclusion, the concept of a center and edge of the universe are not scientifically accurate. The universe is infinite and constantly expanding, and there is no specific location that can be considered the center or edge. As scientists, we continue to study and explore the universe to better understand its mysteries and complexities.