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The word we use to refer to what's inside the cosmic horizon is the 'universe', so what would you call the empty space outside of the horizon?

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    $\begingroup$ What makes you say that the space outside the cosmic horizon is empty? Standard cosmology assumes the universe is homogeneous on the very large scale, so we expect that the stuff beyond the horizon to be similar to what we can observe. Sure, it might be different on the other side, but a theory that predicts that is more complicated than one that predicts homogeneity, and you need to justify that added complexity, and to explain why we happen to live in a huge homogeneous region. $\endgroup$
    – PM 2Ring
    Aug 28, 2017 at 18:18

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The outside is also the universe, the inside is just the observable universe.

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  • $\begingroup$ I suppose we could call it the un-observable universe, but I like just plane "universe" better. $\endgroup$
    – userLTK
    Aug 31, 2017 at 7:06
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Since the universe is expanding, the things (galaxies, quasars, etc) that are currently in the observable region, on our side of the cosmic horizon, will someday be over the horizon. It stands to reason, then, that whatever is currently over the horizon is just the things that were once on our side, but long ago.

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This relates to what I was saying about the universe was once the size of a grapefruit morphing into the observable universe was once the size of a grapefruit. Along with the universe is infinite. IMHO there is no evidence for the latter.

To be pedantic, I guess the answer to your question is "the non-observable universe". That’s because the word universe is derived from “uni” as in unicycle and “verse” as in vice versa. It means turned into one. It means everything. Hence the word "multiverse" doesn't float my boat.

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  • $\begingroup$ The first paragraph has nothing to do with the question and is arbitrary. You could say the observable universe was, at some point, the size of anything smaller than it is now. The second paragraph reads more as an opinion piece or etymology lesson. $\endgroup$
    – Sir Cumference
    Sep 1, 2017 at 1:25
  • $\begingroup$ The first paragraph relates to BetaDecay's previous question. The second paragraph is factual. I didn't make up that etymology, the word universe means "everything". And by the way, you haven't answered a question here since July 19th. $\endgroup$
    – John Duffield
    Sep 1, 2017 at 12:22

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