The observable universe is a growing sphere around earth or where ever you happen to observe it. So to answer the question "what's outside" we just need to wait for the light to reach us.
Obviously "outside the observable universe" must be outside of that sphere? Just because stars we see now are not still at that position doesn't make the question meaningless. The answer could be that outside the sphere, right now, there are most likely more stars, planets and gas.
> So to answer the question "what's outside" we just need to wait for the light to reach us.
unless what is outside is moving away faster than light (which I think it is), then it will never reach us (from my very basic layman understanding of how much space is being created as the universe expand. The reason why it can move away faster than light is that objects cannot move faster than light, but if space in the universe between two points is being created than the speed of light limit doesn't apply (for some reason I don't understand, but as people much smarter than I do understand, I will go with them)
Obviously "outside the observable universe" must be outside of that sphere? Just because stars we see now are not still at that position doesn't make the question meaningless. The answer could be that outside the sphere, right now, there are most likely more stars, planets and gas.