# Very Basic Hubble Constant Question

In an article titled "Gravitational Waves Could Solve Hubble Constant Conundrum" Data from the cosmic microwave background suggests the universe is currently expanding at a rate of about 41.6 miles (67 kilometers) per second per 3.26 million light-years, while data from supernovas and Cepheids in the nearby universe suggests a rate of about 45.3 miles (73 km) per second per 3.26 million light-years.

My question is independent on which of these (if either is correct)...

Let's say the universe is expanding at 41.6 mps (67 km) per 3.26MLY Does this mean that every 3.26 M LY the universe is expanding at an additional 41.6 miles per second?

Is my assumption correct or am I misreading this? - Which ok as I am not a student or scientist... just want to make sure I fully understand the article.

*edited: I ran a Excel sheet based on my understanding of this and the total expansion of the universe (if my understanding holds) is less than the speed of light if you use the 41.6 m/s. It came out to 176,092.8 mp/s - which cannot be right and there be parts of the universe expanding faster the C? can it? Wouldn't this be proof the Microwave Background Radiation is the wrong standard to use?

Using 45.3 m/s gives me an answer of 191,754.9 m/s which would allow some (but not much) of the universe to expand faster than C

Thanks

• The distant parts of the universe are expanding away from us at faster than the speed of light. – G. Smith Feb 26 at 17:30
• Please use metric units or at least consistent symbols – Alchimista Feb 27 at 10:26
• See physics.stackexchange.com/q/60519/25301 for some explanation about the expansion faster than $c$. – Kyle Kanos Feb 27 at 11:10