The observable universe is the region of space that we can theoretically observe, approximately 92.94 billion light-years in diameter, but there may be more beyond it. Misconceptions include its size and that it represents all that exists. It is likely just one universe in a larger multiverse.
The observable universe, also known as the Hubble volume, is the region of space that is theoretically possible to observe, small enough that light from more distant regions has had enough time to reach Earth since the Big Bang. This region of space is approximately 92.94 billion light-years in diameter, centered on planet Earth. Each different portion of space has its own visible universe, some overlapping, some not.
There are a number of misconceptions about the concept of the observable universe. The first is that its size is equal to its age in years times the speed of light travel in one year, about 15 billion light years. This figure would be true if it were flat, but thanks to Einstein we know that the universe is very curved over cosmological distances by virtue of its expansion.
The other misconception is that what is observable is all that exists. This is also false; indicates only the region of space that is theoretically possible to observe. The real universe could be much larger or even smaller. There is a possibility that the distant galaxies we see are actually light from closer galaxies, which has circumnavigated the universe more than once. Since the light would have radically different ages, it would be difficult if not impossible to tell that they came from the same galaxy. But in all likelihood, the universe itself is much larger than we can observe.
The terms “universe” and “observable universe” are sometimes used interchangeably by cosmologists, because by definition, regions outside of what we can see are causally disconnected from us. We cannot observe, much less influence, these regions, and the reverse is also true. Besides being spatially gigantic, our entire universe is likely just one in a larger set of parallel universes known as a multiverse.
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