Why cant an open universe have a center?

Answer 1

I assume you're familiar with the big bang theory - the proposition that the universe started as a single point and then "exploded." This theory is often misinterpreted and causes the confusion you have now.

The universe didn't explode from a single point. The entirety of the universe is pushing itself away from everything else.

Imagine the universe as the surface of a balloon. Take a marker and mark a number of points close to each other on that balloon (say, an inch apart). Now inflate the balloon. Every point on the surface of the balloon expanded away from every other point without a distinct center. Of course the balloon's surface is a two-dimensional universe, while our universe is three, but it's a good demonstration.

Answer 2

We do not know if the universe is finite in extent, meaning that at some point it would "end", or if it is infinite. If it is finite, then it might be possible to calculate where the "center" of the universe might be. We do not yet have enough information to answer this question.

However, the present standard theory of the Universe says there is no center, even in a finite universe. That's obviously difficult to imagine, but that's what most cosmologists say.

If the universe is infinite, meaning that it does not have an edge or boundary, then it would be meaningless to discuss a "center" of the universe. If there's no edge, then ANYPLACE can be the "center".

These questions are perhaps more philosophical or religious rather than astronomical, but at present we do not have answers for all the questions we would like to ask - and we're not sure that the questions we ask are really the important questions.

Answer 3

An open universe can have a center. We just don't think our universe does have a center (at least not one that's actually in the universe ... sort of like how a balloon has a center, but it's not on the surface of the balloon).

Answer 4

Do not confuse our solar system (which the sun is the centre of) with our galaxy (which our sun orbits in) with the UNIVERSE which is everything out in space and space itself.

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Any part of our Universe can be considered the centre of the Universe. From any place, it looks like we are in the centre. No object or place in our Universe stands out in this respect.

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It is impossible to know whether the Sun is the centre of the universe or not, but it is the centre of our solar system. Our solar system is part of our galaxy the Milky Way and the centre of that is an inactive super massive black hole.

Actually there is no centre to the universe as the expansion of space is uniform everywhere, this means that everything in the universe (except where gravity counteracts this) is moving away from every other part at the same rate, so no matter where you are it will always seem like your at the centre...yes it hurts my head too! but it is true.

Answer 5

The universe is endless. It would not be physically possible to mark a center of it. ^.^

Answer 6

The surface of a balloon that's being inflated has a definite area that keeps increasing,

but there's no limit to how far you can travel on it in any direction, and it has no center.