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Cosmic Reflections. The Visible Universe.
by Dick Bain
In Paper 12 of The Urantia Book, "The Universe of Universes", the author, a Perfecter of Wisdom, gives us some clues about the structure and size of our universe. At another place in the book, we are informed that such information may one day be outdated as we progress in our understanding of the universe. [1] Is this information now outdated, some 64 years after it was given to us? Have the discoveries of our astronomers discredited the size of the visible universe given in The Urantia Book?
The Urantia Book Universe
In order to compare the discoveries of our astronomers with the information in The Urantia Book, we first need to understand the picture the author of Paper 12 tries to paint for us. Figure 1 shows how the various parts of the master universe are layered. For simplicity, the two rings of dark bodies between Havona and the superuniverse level are not shown. The author tells us that Paradise is the stationary center of all reality and that it is very large, but the author doesn't say how large. Paradise is orbited by the seven circuits of one billion spheres of Havona, also known as the central universe of Havona. The next level is the grand universe, which consists of the seven superuniverses and Havona. Intervening between Havona and the superuniverse level are the two circuits of dark gravity bodies. No size is given for the central universe of Havona, but we are given one piece of information that allows us to get a rough size for a portion of it.
On page 153, the author of Paper 14 tells us that the inner circuit of Havona spheres requires 1000 years to complete one circuit or revolution around Paradise. We are also told that they travel at a high rate of speed. We are not told how fast they travel, but we can calculate the maximum speed. If the spheres are material, then they are limited to the speed of light. On page 134, the author says that the Havona spheres are material, but of a different order than the material of the superuniverses. Nevertheless, it appears that the spheres are gravity responsive. The dark gravity bodies help balance the gravitational forces between the central universe and the rest of the grand universe; this implies that the spheres of Havona are gravity responsive and therefore are likely subject to the same limitations on velocity as the material of the superuniverses. If this is the case, then the maximum speed or velocity the spheres can attain is the speed of light. The maximum circumference of the inner circuit of Havona spheres must be less than or equal to 1000 light years, and the maximum radius is therefore 159 light years. If the circuits of the Havona spheres were separated by one light year, then the maximum radius of the central universe would be about 165 light years. But there is one other piece of information that needs to be investigated to see if the circumference of the inner circuit of spheres is reasonable.
On page 152 we read that there are 35 million spheres in the inner circuit of Havona spheres. If the circumference of the inner ring is 1000 light years, then how much space exists between any two spheres? We know that the spheres are much larger than any of our planets, but we aren't told how large. If we choose one million miles as the diameter of each sphere, then we calculate a distance between spheres of about 25 million miles. If the gravitational fields of these spheres are not excessive, this seems to be an adequate spacing for them. If a greater spacing is required for these spheres, then we would be forced to conclude either that they are moving at a velocity greater than the speed of light, or that they are significantly smaller in diameter than one million miles. In any case, even if the central universe had a radius of a thousand light years, its size would have little impact on the volume of the first outer space level as we shall see.
Beyond the Central Universe
Encircling the superuniverse level is a 500,000 l.y. (light year) wide quiet zone that separates it from the first OSL. (129) The first of the outer space levels appears to be 50 million l.y. in thickness or cross sectional diameter (two times r in Figure 2.) This is based on the author's statement on page 129: "But about one-half million light-years beyond the periphery of the present grand universe we observe the beginnings of a zone of an unbelievable energy action which increases in volume and intensity for over twenty-five million light-years. These tremendous wheels of energizing forces are situated in the first outer space level, a continuous belt of cosmic activity encircling the whole of the known, organized, and inhabited creation." The implication seems to be that the point of maximum activity is in the center of the level, so it appears that the total thickness is 50 million l.y. But is the outer edge of the first OSL as far as the visible universe extends?
The Second Outer Space Level
On page 130, the author of Paper 12 has this to say about the second OSL: "Still greater activities are taking place beyond these regions, for the Uversa physicists have detected early evidence of force manifestations more than fifty million light-years beyond the outermost ranges of the phenomena in the first outer space level. These activities undoubtedly presage the organization of the material creations of the second outer space level of the master universe."
From this wording, it is unclear whether the "force manifestations" are visible or not, though the statement "presage the organization of the material creations" seems to indicate that
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