Submitted by randomebolaoutbreak t3_1231cdb in Showerthoughts
Comments
AxialGem t1_jdss4f9 wrote
The observable universe is literally defined to be the sphere of stuff we can observe from Earth. I guess it doesn't really matter if you are actually observing it, but it's still observable
McDof t1_jdtcg99 wrote
Interesting
PM_ME_YOUR_RegEx t1_jdup35p wrote
What about with gravitational lensing? That might distort our sphere of observability.
lessthanabelian t1_jduq5xg wrote
Earth is technically the center of the true total universe too, but just our observable lightbubble.
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But so is literally every other point in space. Every point is the center of the universe
Master_of_opinions t1_jduv4q2 wrote
Damn. That's like every kid at the race getting a medal.
Showerthoughts_Mod t1_jdspt4m wrote
This is a friendly reminder to read our rules.
Remember, /r/Showerthoughts is for showerthoughts, not "thoughts had in the shower!"
(For an explanation of what a "showerthought" is, please read this page.)
Rule-breaking posts may result in bans.
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[deleted] t1_jdubawe wrote
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DukeLukeTheNuke t1_jdui6oq wrote
Not technically, just is. This is just a fact. This is not a shower epiphany.
[deleted] t1_jduxvd1 wrote
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Ali_Army107 t1_jdwt3hl wrote
Technically, you're eyes are at the center of your observable universe.
Drink15 t1_jdsqnxc wrote
If you stand in the corner of a room, are you at the center of what you can see?
sarcastic_patriot t1_jdt03ze wrote
Except there's no corner of the universe that we know of. Observable universe is everything we can see from Earth, so each place in the universe has its own observable universe, which may or may not even include Earth.
Wellfooled t1_jdum3n4 wrote
I'm just a layman, but I sympathize with this counter-shower thought. There are things in space that block our view--dark nebulas or even just normal stars preventing us from seeing what's directly behind them. Likewise gravitational lensing occasionally let's us see further than we would normally. The "observable" universe in that sense isn't a perfect sphere with Earth in the middle.
The "center" of the weird shape of the observable universe would be elsewhere. Of course how we could ever settle on the center of an area like that is beyond me.
NLwino t1_jdunh7u wrote
>The word observable in this sense does not refer to the capability of modern technology to detect light or other information from an object, or whether there is anything to be detected. It refers to the physical limit created by the speed of light itself.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Observable_universe
You are always at the center of YOUR observable universe. If it's correct that the universe is isotropic.
Drink15 t1_jdwpor8 wrote
You missed the point. As did many other people. The space you are in has a center point independent of where the observer is located.
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xPity t1_jdu976p wrote
Thats not it boss
Drink15 t1_jdwputd wrote
I see lots of people misunderstood
McDof t1_jdsqava wrote
Maybe if we're observing even distances in all directions. Not sure that's the case though