If the Universe is about 13.7 billion years old, and the diameter of the observable universe is 93 billion light years, how can it be that wide if the universe isn’t even old enough to let light travel that far that quickly?

Question

If the Universe is about 13.7 billion years old, and the diameter of the observable universe is 93 billion light years, how can it be that wide if the universe isn’t even old enough to let light travel that far that quickly?

In: 5624

Answer 1

The universe is expanding.

This means the stuff at the edge of the observable universe is a lot further away now than it was 13+ billion years ago, when it emitted the light we’re seeing.

We can’t see *anything* as it is right now. You’re reading what this message was on your screen a nanosecond in the past (probably several nanoseconds if you’re on a desktop PC).