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What do astronomers mean when they use the term observable universe?
Wiki User
∙ 7y ago
That portion of the universe from which light from distant objects can reach us which has been traveling since it was possible for light to travel through the universe (about 380,000 years after the Big Bang)
This is a sphere centered on Earth extending 46.6 billion light years in all directions. That sphere gets slightly bigger every day.
Note also that even though the universe is 13.798 billion years old the observable universe is larger becuase the universe has been expanding during that 13.798 billion years.
Wiki User
∙ 9y ago
Wiki User
∙ 7y agoIt means that anything beyond a certain distance can never be observed - we can't observe light (or other information) from objects further than that limit, because it hasn't yet had the time to reach us - and in fact never will, due to the accelerated expansion of the Universe.This limit is about 46 billion light-years away from us, so anything within that distance is considered to be part of the "observable Universe".
Wiki User
∙ 7y agoThe part you can see.
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When was the term 'universe' coined?
The usage of universum to mean "the universe" is at least as old as Cicero, the Roman orator.
What does refreshing indicate to astronomers?
I don't think that "refreshing" is a common term in astronomy. If you mean "redshift", please ask a separate question.
What is included in the term universe?
Every thing
What is a term for disorder or randomness in the universe?
Entropy
What is the name of all of space and everything in it?
Universe
What do you think that astronomers mean when they use the term observable universe?
They mean the part of the universe that we can see with the naked eye, through telescope, or the amount of light years we can travel without dying
How is the 'super-universe' described?
The term 'super-universe' is basically a synonym for the multiverse, a hypothetically larger cosmos than our observable universe.
What do you think astronomers mean when they use the term observable universe?
It means that anything beyond a certain distance (currently about 46 billion light-years away) can't be observed by us, even with the best instruments, because any signal (light, gravitational waves, etc.) from there didn't have time to reach us.Anything within that distance is part of the "observable Universe". The ENTIRE Universe is probably much, much larger than the observable Universe. It may or may not be infinite; we don't currently know.
How is the word 'supernatural' defined?
The term 'supernatural' refers to hypothetical entities that exist outside the observable material universe and are the objects of worship in various religious traditions.
When was the term 'universe' coined?
The usage of universum to mean "the universe" is at least as old as Cicero, the Roman orator.
What does the term tao mean for Confucianism?
The "tao" is the absolute principle underlying the universe.
What does refreshing indicate to astronomers?
I don't think that "refreshing" is a common term in astronomy. If you mean "redshift", please ask a separate question.
What does the term phenomenon describe?
a fact, occurrence, or circumstance observed or observable
What is the term for center of the universe?
The Universe does not have a centre.
What does asteroids mean in science term?
its a big flying rock in space that came from other plantes when the universe was created
What does the name zenith mean?
The zenith is the name of the point that is directly over a particular location. Astronomers use this term when referring to the altitude of a celestial object, such as the sun or moon.
Scientists classify everything in the universe as?
If they are astronomers, they classify everything as 'interesting'. I think the answer may be something like "matter or energy". In fact, according to Relativity Theory, mass (of matter) and energy are in many ways equivalent. "Mass-energy" is a term often used to refer to this fact. Pretty well everything in the Universe is matter or energy,
