The quest for the size of the universe in early relativistic cosmology (1917--1930) (Q666270)

The article is devoted to various attempts to determine the size of the universe in the period 1917--1930. The story starts in 1917, when A.~Einstein proposed a finite static model of the universe with uniformly distributed matter as an approximation. By estimating the density of the matter, Einstein was able to calculate the value of the cosmological constant, which in turn led to an estimate of the size of the universe. The authors proceed by describing other approaches which were used to determine the world radius. In particular, the methods of W.~de Sitter, L.~Silberstein and K.~Lundmark are discussed in great detail. In the 1930s, the model of a static universe was abandoned in favor of the expanding universe. Nevertheless, the ideas born in the period 1917--1930 as well as the interplay between relativity theory and observational astronomy were crucial for the development of modern relativistic cosmology.