The Universe and Outer Space
Universe
Is Space Real? I used to think that outer space was an infinite void. That you could get on an imaginary space ship that goes faster than the speed of light and go on forever. What would you find when you approached the edge of our universe? Is there even an edge or does the stars and galaxies go on forever. First of all we need to define the meaning of 'universe'.
Oxford Dictionaries says:
All existing matter and space considered as a whole; the cosmos. The universe is believed to be at least 10 billion light years in diameter and contains a vast number of galaxies; it has been expanding since its creation in the Big Bang about 13 billion years ago.
Wikipedia says:
The Universe is all of space and time and their contents, including planets, stars, galaxies, and all other forms of matter and energy. While the spatial size of the entire Universe is unknown, it is possible to measure the size of the observable universe, which is currently estimated to be 93 billion light years in diameter.
Collins Dictionary says:
The universe is the whole of space and all the stars, planets, and other forms of matter and energy in it.
Ha! These definitions are a little confusing to me, because, do they mean that the universe is all of outer space and everything it contains? I always thought that outer space was infinite, yet a couple of these definitions give a 'size' to the universe. One says it is believed to be 10 billion light years across and another says the spatial size is unknown but the observable part is 93 billion light years across. So obviously they're not thinking in terms of infinite outer space, they're just talking about everything that came out of the 'big bang'. So if the universe has a size, according to some, then what do they call the area that is outside of the universe. Isn't it still considered space? They say that the universe is expanding. What is it expanding into?
The Big Bang
So, the 'big bang' supposedly started out as this small point in space that erupted or exploded all this matter into existence. Or maybe it did exist but it was compacted into this tiny dense spot and decided to expand? For one thing, how does that make any sense? They explain it like it was a fireworks rocket that exploded high in the sky and spread out like a giant sphere. But with a fireworks rocket there was a source and it was ignited by a fuse. What was the source of the big bang and why did it explode? Was it alive, did it have consciousness? Because one of the ending results of the 'big bang' was life and consciousness. That is, us, if we're to believe that this is how it all came about. Is the 'big bang' the way it really happened? The theory more or less came about in the 1920s with names like Edwin Hubble and Georges Lemaitre, the guy who actually proposed the theory. But couldn't there be a thousand other explanations for this? They saw galaxies apparently moving away from each other so it all must have been the result of an explosion from a 'my-noot' dot in space that expanded out to something bigger than 93 billion light years across? And they say that people who believe in God are crazy....
Is Space Real?
So back to my original question. Is space real? Can we, if we had the technology, get in a space ship and leave the confines of our 'big bang' universe and keep on going indefinitely? Either we can or we can't. If we can't then there really isn't this infinite void that we can 'travel' through. Then nothing exists outside of our universe. Not even empty space. That sort of makes sense to me. I used to have a hard time imagining an infinite void known as outer space. The fact that there is no end, it just goes on forever and ever and ever..... But that would mean it is something that exists. Something that would take up space. (A lot of space). It is something that the human mind can't really comprehend. Maybe it's because it's not really there. If we were able to go up against the 'edge' of our universe and try to step outside of it, we would simply cease to exist. Or possibly just not be able to 'cross-over'. Like an invisible brick wall... Your thoughts?
Comments:
Jun/06/2019 Steve Very good point, if the universe is expanding then what is it expanding into... To me what it means is man is unable to accept the fact that he will cease to exist one day and the rulers of a forgotten time needed an explanation for the phenomena they had no experience with so religion was created to placate the people and explain away what was previously superstition. I do believe in God, just not in the same way that most do? The universe is but a cancer spreading in another highly developed being, we being the bacteria living in that being.... Not really, I just don't know and does little good to speculate on what will take man the rest of his existence to find out.
Jun/06/2019 Dwight Genesis 1:1 New King James Version (NKJV) The History of Creation 1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. That is all we need to know!
Jun/06/2019 As all the galaxies are moving away from each other, the only plausible explanation is that at one time, they were all much closer to one another. How close is the tricky part. IF all matter that exists was at one time compacted into one "point", that had to be a fairly large point. But, where did that point come from? How did all matter come into existence? Most say God made it because that is the only Human concept “most” can deal with. To my mind, there is no other solution but that begs the question: where did God come from - which man as wrestled with from the beginning. However you explain that would also explain your “brick wall” idea at the end of our universe. At some point, my mind just has to say “it is” and leave it there as I really don’t believe the finite can grasp infinite. Charlie
Mar/22/2020 02:56:54 PM Rick Sprinkle Great blog post and all these points are valid. I also rely on the fact that the universe is open and Heisenberg, the great physicist, also believed we never could predict the exact location of an electron at any one time. Heisenberg's Principle of Uncertainty is truly amazing when you consider all the dark energy of the universe and what purpose it may serve in the whole scheme of matter and energy. Mar/22/2020 03:02:19 PM Are We Living in a Safe Time Window This article by Dr. Hugh Ross is relevant to this great post. Isn't is really interesting how we are here alive at this exact point of time in the astrological clock of time and space? Link Here
Mar/23/2020 05:43:21 AM Gill I'm with Dwight on this
Bill Ha ha! Not arguing that point, someone had to do it... But isn't it interesting that we can look at the creation and wonder at it's perfect existence? God gave us curious minds to figure things out for a reason. He gave us the ability to reason things out. So, is it wrong to question some things in the Bible? Some things seem to be obvious, but some things don't seem to make sense. After all, who wrote the Bible?
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