Can Scientists Locate the Center of the Universe?

[nihilius]

Energy or matter or whatever, after the big bang, should have been thrown out in all directions. Obviously, matter or energy traveling in opposite directions, at both sides of the centre of the explosion, had greater relative velocities than matter or energy traveling in closer paths at one side of the explosion. Has such difference been observed in astronomical observations? If that was the case, then maybe scientists could locate the centre of the universe.

 

[Pengwuino]

Energy or matter or whatever, after the big bang, should have been thrown out in all directions. Obviously, matter or energy traveling in opposite directions, at both sides of the centre of the explosion, had greater relative velocities than matter or energy traveling in closer paths at one side of the explosion. Has such difference been observed in astronomical observations? If that was the case, then maybe scientists could locate the centre of the universe.

No, because the Big Bang was not a literal explosion, it was an expansion of spacetime which acts more like the expansion of the surface of a balloon than a firey explosion.

 

[Ryan_m_b]

There is no centre to the universe
https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=568514&

 

[DrStupid]

No, because the Big Bang was not a literal explosion

We wouldn't see any differences even if it would be a literal explosion. The classical expansion of an infinite homogeneous mass distribution within a static Euclidean space leads to the same result as the relativistic expansion of an infinite flat space-time.

 

[sardar]

I appreciate your curiosity about the origins of our universe. However, I must clarify some misconceptions about the big bang theory and the concept of the "opposite side of the world."

First, it is important to understand that the big bang was not an explosion in the traditional sense. It was the rapid expansion of space itself, which occurred about 13.8 billion years ago. This expansion was not centered at a specific point in space, but rather happened everywhere at once. Therefore, there is no "center of the universe" that can be located.

Secondly, the big bang did not throw matter or energy out in all directions. In fact, the initial expansion of the universe was extremely uniform, with matter and energy distributed evenly throughout. It was only after about 380,000 years that the universe became transparent and matter could clump together to form stars and galaxies.

Lastly, there is no such thing as the "opposite side of the world" in the context of the universe. The concept of "opposite" implies a center point, which as I mentioned before, does not exist in the expanding universe.

In terms of astronomical observations, we have not observed any significant differences in the velocities of matter or energy in opposite directions. The expansion of the universe is thought to be isotropic, meaning it looks the same in all directions. This has been confirmed by various observations, such as the cosmic microwave background radiation.

In conclusion, the big bang theory does not support the idea of an "opposite side of the world" or a center of the universe. While there may be areas of the universe that are denser or less dense, there is no clear separation between two opposing sides. Our understanding of the universe continues to evolve as we gather more evidence and conduct further research, but for now, the big bang remains the most widely accepted explanation for the origins of our universe.