Where is the center of the universe?

The universe is undeniably vast, and from our perspective, it may seem like Earth is in the middle of everything. But is there a center of the cosmos, and if so, where is it? If the Big Bang started the universe, then where did it all come from, and where is it going?

, sit very far away from us; later that decade, he discovered that, on average, all galaxies are receding away from us.

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There is no center

So where is the Big Bang? Surely, that would be the true center of the universe. Unfortunately, the reality that we have uncovered about the universe through modern science does not lend itself to an easy explanation, or even the ability to imagine it. That's because there is no center of the universe. There is no edge, either. The cosmos is not expanding from anywhere, and it's not expanding into anything.

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Another possibility is that the universe is indeed finite. But this would mean that at very vast scales — far larger than what we can observe — the cosmos curves back on itself. This also means it doesn't have a center.

. You can point to the center of the three-dimensional planet — it's the molten bit in the core. But try to point to the center of Earth's surface, like on a map. It could be at 0-0 latitude and longitude; it could be at the poles; it could be at your grandma's house. Any point is just as good as any other.

. It belongs in the finite past of every entity in the universe.

Everywhere is a center

away. (This is possible because the universe expands faster than light.)

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It appears as if we were at the center of the entire universe. Of course, the same could be said of any galaxy within the cosmos. From their perspective, they are at the center of their observable bubble, and all galaxies are racing away from them.

That's the curse and the blessing of an expanding universe. There is no center, and yet at the same time, all observers, including us, can rightfully claim to be in the middle of it all.