how is the galaxy infinite? thats impossible... first of all, are we talking about a galaxy or a universe? even both, i think theyre both finite. galaxY: are made of a collections of stars. but the numbers of stars are limited as well. so it is finite. universe: collection of galaxies and other phenomena. also limited by the number of galaxies. but it is not limited, according to einstein's theory because, according to him, our universe is but a bubble among other universes, in essence, a multiverse. that said, search the word galaxy in google, and you will see. it is in no way infinite. but just curious... how did you lot come up with the fact that a galaxy is infinite?
I thought that the galaxy is still growing (from the Big Bang)... I heard it from Scientific America. So definitely finite.
you mean the universe is still growing? its the expansion of the galaxies that makes the universe expand, thus "growing". the galaxies dont "grow" because all the stars are orbiting around the center of the galaxy, in their respective rotation.
lol debates about the finite/infinite size of the universe are boring i like the concept of multiple universes much more, imagine that there are infinite versions of you in different realities who are probably almost exactly the same in some, but completely different in others... i hope that in another universe i am a super baller who rolls around in an escalade full of half naked chicks and lives in a house constructedly solely from gold and diamonds aaw yeahhh.
Uh, no, I mean (or I think the SciAm article means) that some debris of the Big Bang is still on the move, instead of a stable orbital around other systems. I guess the question, then, will be to our knowledge of this universe we occupy at the moment (not the other "hypothetical" or "alternate" universe), is THIS universe finite.
i think you misunderstood what i was trying to say. the debris, according to books, of the big bang are galaxies themselves. they are not the ones that orbit around a central point, they continue to disperse, as you have said. that dispersion is what creates the expansion of the universe, thus meaning the universe is growing. we are not sure if its infinite or not, as denoted by the bubble theory in the pic above. but the question was, is the galaxy infinite? well in this case, it is not. the stars consisting in the galaxies do not expand, meaning they rotate uniformly around the center point of the galaxy. because so, where the farthest star of the galaxy from its central point, is the end point of the galaxy. where theres an end point, is a limit. and a limit contradicts infinity. thus, a galaxy is not infinite. (these informations were taken from scholarly books. not made up by me) this should put an end to the topic i think
I didn't think galaxies were this confusing.. Anyway, read up on "String Theory" if any of you are still interested. It will explain why that universe is still expanding. Or just research "dark matter", that should save you some time.
thank you lol i didnt think it was either haha and yes string theory i read a bit about it and its really interesting. perhaps the members mistaken the galaxy and universe as one lol
Ah, I see. Probably I am mistaken since the more inquired form was "was the universe finite (or infinite). My apologies
The Universe as current scientists know/define is FINITE; it's makeup of a supermassive core with about 90-92% of the mass in the centre same way as galaxies are made of, with all the galaxies spinning around the core.[ even Einstein realize it just before he died.] something else is infinite, may be we should call that "Multiverse" thingy: SuperUniverse is infinite.
as a christian i believe the universe is not infinite, i also believe in 3 heavens as taught in the bible, 1st heaven being space arounf the world were the birds fly and clouds float. the 1st heaven is enveloped in the 2nd heaven which is what we call the universe. the 2nd heaven is then enveloped in the 3rd heaven were God resides. 3rd heaven is beyond the stars and galaxies etc and if you do your research youll find that astronomers have now found a point were stars can not be seen because they are looking past physical creation. All in all i beleive the universe was created by God and not some explosion that created a universe and intelligent life wheather it be physical and spiritual. As for black holes, i really wish i knew, but we must remember that a blackhole has never been seen, its just a theory like dark matter and wat not.
mater_g, you are a "troll". you can neither see nor find the GOD that you stated. you cannot see the air you breathing-in AS OF NOW, but you know it exists because you are breathing it in. It is logic my man, by the same logic blackholes exerts forces on the near by stars. some blackholes also swallows the matters from the nearby star.
Just because the universe is enveloped by another "heaven" does not mean it is finite, specially since God, as many says, is so high and almighty. I would think that wherever he resides will be beyond our comprehension, no? In that case, just because the 3rd heaven, where God resides, envelopes the univers, does not make the universe finite. Not that I believe in God or anything. Also, Blackhole is so far still a theoretical entity, I agree, but the physicists cannot explain the behaviour of light and all matter observed surrounding the blackhole otherwise. If one is blind and in a unlit room with a black cat, you cannot see the black cat, but you can probably deduce that there IS a cat, black or otherwise, by the meows it sound. WORD. Just because there isn't a neon lit sign saying "blackhole here" does not refute the probable existence of a blackhole. It is the most logical explanation of the behaviour of matters in the surrounding, until it is refuted.
hehe nice replies, just stating what i believe, but my views are from a christian perspective and yours are from a scientific so there is bound to be differences. anyway i hope we find out the truth soon countryboy - im no troll, i just take an interest in these discussions laterz
I think the universe is not really a matter of infinite or not, I think its a sphere like the earth it goes around and around, and is constantly expanding like a ballon.
But beyond the Universe are multi-verses. There is no limit for 'space' to expand into but there is a limit to energy and it would eventually slow down. Even if we assume there is only a Universe, it is expanding at an extremely rapid rate and continue to expand. Depending whether it is a closed, open or stable universe would determine how it would die. Scientists and books say that the universe expands. But what i don't understand is what does it expand into? Nothing is beyond the so called universe but how could something expand into nothing and then matter and space be created?
The Universe is not finite because it's still expanding and is expanding faster than before and the Universe has been expanding since the "big bang." If any of you are familiar with explosions you know that particles and matter are forced away from the explosion. Earth moving away from the sun? Yes, I think the estimates per year is about 1.5 cm but I'm not 100% sure about that estimate.
