FileFront Forums - Beyond the observable universe

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flash525 (Post 5653828)

Except that I don't think it's infinite. It the Universe is growing in size (which is speculated by many) then it has a size, else it wouldn't be growing. Something that goes on forever wouldn't be changing shape.

Well, what I meant was that the *currently occupied* portion of the universe is expanding (this is fact, we can measure the speed at the which the objects in the universe are moving apart, relatively and approximately) and will continue to do so indefinitely as the universe is infinite (according to current calculations, the gravity of the known universe is insufficient to reverse the expansion. However, we know too little about the actual composition of "space", "empitness" and the universe to present this as fact)

Of course, if the universe is infinite, who is to say their is not another large cluster of galaxies elsewhere beyond our observable range, and our known "universe" is really just a cluster of galaxies among many, just as our galaxy is one of many. Of course, as intriguing as this possibility would be, our portion of the universe may as well be alone for the likelihood of it interacting with another cluster within any measurable length of time. After all, if we haven't even seen another cluster yet, it must so immeasurably far away that it would never be reachable. Perhaps some day our expanding cluster of galaxies will expand into another and 'restart' our long-dead cluster a few googol years from now.

[/ramblingoutofmyass]