Cosmic · Cosmic structure
Laniakea Supercluster
≈520 million light-yearsA vast basin of galactic motion that includes the Milky Way and the Virgo Cluster.
Cosmic ↔ Cosmic
How large is Laniakea inside the observable universe?
Compare our supercluster basin with the model-dependent diameter of the observable cosmic horizon.
Linear ratio178.9×
Using the stated linear measurements, Observable Universe is 178.9× Laniakea Supercluster.
Cosmic · Cosmology
Observable Universe
≈93 billion light-yearsThe present-day diameter of the region whose light or descendants can in principle reach us.
The answer
A ratio, an analogy and the definitions behind both.
Using the stated linear measurements, Observable Universe is 178.9× Laniakea Supercluster.
About 178.9× Laniakea Supercluster linear spans fit across the selected measurement of Observable Universe.
flow-defined supercluster span versus present-day comoving diameter
The metre values can be divided as linear spans, but the two entries do not describe identical kinds of boundary.
Laniakea Supercluster is model-dependent; observable Universe is model-dependent.
Representative, variable and model-dependent values are useful for perspective only when their status remains visible.
Measurement ledger
What exactly was divided?
| Landmark | Value | Measurement | Certainty | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laniakea Supercluster | ≈520 million light-years | flow-defined supercluster span | Model-dependent | NASA Science ↗ |
| Observable Universe | ≈93 billion light-years | present-day comoving diameter | Model-dependent | NASA Science ↗ |