<p>'Science' is based on taking experimental observations, developing potential hypothesis or theories to match those observations, and then thinking of further experiments that could be conducted to prove or dis-prove your hypothesis.  If enough experimental evidence backs up a hypothesis, you could then consider asking it 'what-if' questions to make predictions.</p>
<p>So, <em>science</em> has nothing at all to say about any of your questions, as we have no experimental evidence about any of the situations your questions ask.</p>
<p>Perhaps more specifically, from the equivalence principle we <em>assume</em> the universe has no edge, and so all your questions don't fit current scientific observations.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-11-11T13:40:11.663Z
I think you mean the cosmological principle not the equivalence one. And that brings us to the answer given by @planetmaker. Than of course science is ready to correct itself.
Alchimista
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-11-10T18:41:26.883Z
2021-11-10T18:41:26.883Z
Richard
<p>The 'edge' of the observable universe is as much a edge as is the 'edge' of how far you can look from the roof of your house: none at all, it's just a limit to our vision. We can never reach this edge though for the observable universe, as the limit to our movement is the speed of light - and the edge recedes faster than the speed of light.</p>
<p>There is no reason to assume that anything will be different at the edge of the observable universe or beyond: it will just be as different as - keeping the picture - is the view from your roof top compared to mine. Assuming anything different will need extrodinary proof as to why it would be reasonable that it would be different.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-11-11T21:53:45.007Z
The edge recedes faster than the speed of light? This I've never heard before. How do we know *that*?
clearlight
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-11-11T22:01:15.150Z
We know by knowledge of the Hubble constant. Distant galaxies we still see now will become more and more red-shifted, thus we see less and less.
planetmaker
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-11-11T22:58:13.683Z
Thanks @planetmaker, I looked up the Hubble Constant, and also found this.  Wow! News to me. So I guess I'll not be flying off the edge of universe anytime soon! https://bigthink.com/surprising-science/how-is-the-universe-moving-faster-than-the-speed-of-light/
clearlight
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-11-12T18:55:04.550Z
@clearlight in cosmology, there are actually many types of horizons, and the phrase "observable universe" requires some technical care. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmological_horizon
Daddy Kropotkin
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-11-10T18:57:42.907Z
2021-11-10T21:17:27.203Z
2021-11-10T21:17:27.203Z
planetmaker
<p>If we could be at the edge of expanding universe in a fast space ship such that we could go beyond the edge, what does the science think we might experience?</p>
<p>Would we still be floating in space?</p>
<p>Would we be pushed or pulled?</p>
<p>Would the observable universe go out of view until it caught up?</p>
<p>Would there be light, dark, or a clear and shining void?</p>
<p>Would we cease to exist until existence caught back up?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-11-10T21:18:16.053Z
"You can't get there from here." In other words, it's like "Somewhere, over the rainbow." in that the edge moves in the same direction you do.
uhoh
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-11-10T21:35:39.957Z
@uhoh And even if we could get there from here, we could only speculate about what we might experience, since we have no evidence from outside the observable universe!
Connor Garcia
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-11-10T21:36:48.060Z
@ConnorGarcia https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Where_No_One_Has_Gone_Before_(episode)
uhoh
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-11-11T00:22:01.783Z
This is a site about science.  Don't expect questions about God or "our true nature" to get answers here.
StephenG - Help Ukraine
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-11-11T10:28:36.727Z
Still there is no reason to expect anything special. Ie someone who is already at about our visible universe edge can cross that border in few steps and nothing happens. This is just the cosmological principle pushed a few meters. Is when it is said that universe is infinite (or it can be so). But I see that planetmaker fixes the above, already.
Alchimista
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-11-11T22:00:51.343Z
I just want a taste of fresh observable universe while it still has that new car smell.
clearlight
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-08-24T07:22:32.830Z
In 1995 the Hubble telescope revealed what lies beyond the edge of the then observable universe. In a small pitch-black area of the known universe it found 3000 distant galaxies. This discovery was called: "Hubble Deep Field".

The more powerful our space telescopes get the more is being revealed. There is no end. The only edge there is to speak about is the last frontier.
Constantthin
<distances><expansion><observable-universe>
If we could fly off edge of observable universe what would happen?
clearlight
# If we could fly off edge of observable universe what would happen?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-11-10)

If we could be at the edge of expanding universe in a fast space ship such that we could go beyond the edge, what does the science think we might experience?

Would we still be floating in space?

Would we be pushed or pulled?

Would the observable universe go out of view until it caught up?

Would there be light, dark, or a clear and shining void?

Would we cease to exist until existence caught back up?

**Tags:** distances, expansion, observable-universe

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: "You can't get there from here." In other words, it's like "Somewhere, over the rainbow." in that the edge moves in the same direction you do.  
> **username_2**: @username_1 And even if we could get there from here, we could only speculate about what we might experience, since we have no evidence from outside the observable universe!  
> **username_1**: @ConnorGarcia https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Where_No_One_Has_Gone_Before_(episode)  
> **username_3**: This is a site about science.  Don't expect questions about God or "our true nature" to get answers here.  
> **username_4**: Still there is no reason to expect anything special. Ie someone who is already at about our visible universe edge can cross that border in few steps and nothing happens. This is just the cosmological principle pushed a few meters. Is when it is said that universe is infinite (or it can be so). But I see that username_7 fixes the above, already.  
> **username_0**: I just want a taste of fresh observable universe while it still has that new car smell.  
> **username_5**: In 1995 the Hubble telescope revealed what lies beyond the edge of the then observable universe. In a small pitch-black area of the known universe it found 3000 distant galaxies. This discovery was called: "Hubble Deep Field".  The more powerful our space telescopes get the more is being revealed. There is no end. The only edge there is to speak about is the last frontier.  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_7 on 2021-11-10. Score: 11 | Accepted answer

The 'edge' of the observable universe is as much a edge as is the 'edge' of how far you can look from the roof of your house: none at all, it's just a limit to our vision. We can never reach this edge though for the observable universe, as the limit to our movement is the speed of light - and the edge recedes faster than the speed of light.

There is no reason to assume that anything will be different at the edge of the observable universe or beyond: it will just be as different as - keeping the picture - is the view from your roof top compared to mine. Assuming anything different will need extrodinary proof as to why it would be reasonable that it would be different.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: The edge recedes faster than the speed of light? This I've never heard before. How do we know *that*?  
> **username_7**: We know by knowledge of the Hubble constant. Distant galaxies we still see now will become more and more red-shifted, thus we see less and less.  
> **username_0**: Thanks @username_7, I looked up the Hubble Constant, and also found this.  Wow! News to me. So I guess I'll not be flying off the edge of universe anytime soon! https://bigthink.com/surprising-science/how-is-the-universe-moving-faster-than-the-speed-of-light/  
> **username_8**: @username_0 in cosmology, there are actually many types of horizons, and the phrase "observable universe" requires some technical care. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmological_horizon  

---

### Answer by username_6 on 2021-11-10. Score: -3

'Science' is based on taking experimental observations, developing potential hypothesis or theories to match those observations, and then thinking of further experiments that could be conducted to prove or dis-prove your hypothesis. If enough experimental evidence backs up a hypothesis, you could then consider asking it 'what-if' questions to make predictions.

So, *science* has nothing at all to say about any of your questions, as we have no experimental evidence about any of the situations your questions ask.

Perhaps more specifically, from the equivalence principle we *assume* the universe has no edge, and so all your questions don't fit current scientific observations.

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: I think you mean the cosmological principle not the equivalence one. And that brings us to the answer given by @username_7. Than of course science is ready to correct itself.  

---

