The universe is a vast and enigmatic realm, filled with wonders that often defy human comprehension. In this cosmic journey, we present 20 mind-bending facts about space that will stretch your understanding of the cosmos. From the bizarre nature of black holes to the mind-boggling scale of the universe, these facts invite you to explore the mysteries and complexities of outer space.
1. There’s Absolutely No Sound In Space.
As there is no air in space, astronauts would not be able to hear each other speak even if they’re right next to each other; as the air is needed to carry the sound vibrations. Sound waves need to travel through a medium..
You may be asking how astronauts can talk to each other in space. Lucky for them, radio waves can travel through a vacuum. Problem solved there, Houston.
2. The Apollo Astronauts’ Footprints Will Probably Stay There For Over 100 Million Years.
Since there is no atmosphere on the moon, there’s no wind or water that can erode or wash away the Apollo astronauts’ trails on the moon. Therefor their footprints, rover prints, spaceship prints, and discarded materials will stay preserved for a very long time on the moon.
But they won’t be on there for eternity . The moon still a pretty dynamic environment as it constantly gets bombarded with “micrometeorites,” which means that erosion is still happening on the moon, just at a very slowly rate.
3. In Space, If Two Pieces Of The Same Type Of Metal Touch, They Will Bond Permanently.
In a vacuum like space, when two pieces of metal touch each other they bond together. This amazing process is called cold welding. On Earth, obviously because of the air and water in our environment separating the pieces this does not happen naturally but it is used during some manufacturing processes. It is something to take into account but it is not usually a problem as the astronaut’s tools and spacecrafts maintain an oxide layer even when leaving Earth.
4. You Grow Taller In Space
Due to the lack of gravity in space, astronauts can grow approximately two inches in height as micro-gravity is that the spine straightens out, as gravity is not pushing you down
5. The Largest star
The largest star known to man is R136a1, which has a mass of about 300 times that of our sun. This was only recently discovered so we’re not even sure if there are gonna be more bigger ones after this one
6. Furthest Away Galaxy From Our Planet
The furthest galaxy from Earth, that has been discovered, is GRB 090423, which is 13.6 billion light years away! This means that the light we see from it began its journey about 600,000 years after the Universe was formed
7. Largest Black Hole
The largest black hole known to man is the Quasar OJ287, and has an estimated mass that’s 18 billion times that of our own sun.
8. Largest Object In Our Solar System
The Sun is the largest object in our solar system. The Sun makes up 99.8% of the entire mass of the whole Solar System. One million Earths would be needed to be the same size as the Sun.
9. A Zillion Stars In Space
We basically have no idea how many stars there are in the universe. Right now we use our estimate of how many stars there are in our own galaxy, the Milky Way. We then take that and multiply by the best guesstimate of the number of galaxies in the universe. After all that math, NASA can only confidently say that say there all zillions of uncountable stars. A zillion is any uncountable amount An Australian National University study put their estimate at 2 x 10*23 stars in space. This is: 200,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000!
10. There Are Thousands Of Other Planets Out There
We have eight, or nine (depending on who you ask) planets in our Solar System. However, outside of our Solar System there are thousands of other planets. The extra-solar planets or exo-planets are in orbit around another star. So far we have confirmed about 2,000 new worlds, with another 3000 awaiting confirmation. Scientists are looking to a star’s goldilocks zone for planets that may be habitable, just like the Earth. The majority of planets discovered so far are hot gas giant planets like Saturn and Jupiter.
11. Storm Warning Out There
Sometimes on the Earth, especially here in the Northern Hemisphere, recently the weather has been crazy! However, our weather is awesome compared to some of the other planets. Jupiter has fast winds and the Great Red spot, a massive hurricane style storm bigger than our planet, has raged there for the last 300 years. Mercury and Mars have extreme temperature changes in the same day. Venus is a scorching five times hotter than boiling water, and is the planet with the most volcanoes in our Solar System. Saturn and Uranus also have extremely fast winds. However Neptune has the fastest ever wind speeds reaching a staggering 1600mph!
12. Black Holes
Black holes are renowned for their insatiable hunger, exerting such immense gravitational force that not even light can evade their grasp. However, there exists a theoretical counterpart to these enigmatic entities known as white holes White holes represent the antithesis of their dark counterparts, emitting light and matter instead of ensnaring it within their gravitational pull As of now, white holes remain entirely theoretical constructs, and astronomers are actively exploring the potential mechanisms by which they could come into existence in the real universe
13. Jupiter’s Magnetic
The expanse of space where the influence of a mass’s magnetic field reigns supreme is scientifically termed its magnetosphere. This magnetic domain encompasses a variety of celestial bodies, including planets, pulsars, and even our own Milky Way galaxy.
Within our Solar System, the planets possess magnetospheres that engage in dynamic interactions with the charged particles carried by the solar wind emanating from our Sun. These magnetospheres are molded and influenced by the constant stream of particles from the Sun.
Among the planets, Jupiter boasts the most expansive magnetosphere. Jupiter’s remarkable characteristics, including its rapid rotation and exceptionally robust magnetic field, contribute to the vastness of its magnetosphere. Notably, Jupiter’s magnetosphere is enriched by the presence of plasma originating from its geologically active moon, Io.
When combined with the unique properties of the solar wind around Jupiter—where it moves at a slower pace and with less density compared to the solar wind near Earth—these factors culminate in the creation of an extraordinarily substantial Jovian magnetosphere, marking it as a significant feature in our cosmic neighborhood.
14. Neptune
Neptune, the eighth planet in our solar system, follows an extraordinary orbital path, requiring a staggering 165 years to complete a single orbit around the Sun. This remarkable journey began when Neptune was first discovered in 1846, and it has taken until relatively recently, in 2011, for Neptune to conclude its inaugural post-discovery orbit.
Intriguingly, Pluto, the celestial object that was once considered the ninth planet but was later reclassified as a dwarf planet, has not come close to completing a full orbit since its initial discovery in 1930. With its significantly extended 248-year orbit, Pluto continues to trace its unique and elongated path through the depths of our solar system, captivating astronomers and space enthusiasts alike with its enigmatic nature.
15. The Sun Loses A Billion Kilos Each second
In the uppermost reaches of the Sun’s atmosphere, particles are driven to extreme temperatures and imbued with tremendous energy. As a consequence, they escape the Sun’s gravitational pull and disperse into space, forming what we know as the solar wind.
This ceaseless solar exodus involves a staggering number of particles. To put it in perspective, approximately 1.3 trillion trillion trillion particles are ejected by the Sun every single second. This astonishing particle torrent equates to roughly one billion kilograms of matter being expelled into the cosmos every second. To put it another way, this continuous outflow of matter is equivalent to the mass of one entire Earth being released into space approximately every 185 million years, painting a vivid picture of the Sun’s ceaseless and monumental activity.
16. Vast Amounts Of Water
Earth’s oceans may not be that unique. Three of Jupiter’s moons (Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto) and two of Saturn’s (Enceladus (pictured above) and Titan) are thought to have underwater seas Europa’s ocean may contain over twice the volume of water found on Earth. However, the most water ever discovered surrounds a black hole some 12 billion lightyears away This region contains vast amounts of water vapor, the equivalent of 140 trillion times the volume of water in Earth’s oceans.
17. The moon Is Getting Farther Away
The Moon, Earth’s celestial companion, exerts a gravitational force that isn’t uniform across our planet. This gravitational pull causes Earth to assume a slightly egg-shaped, or oblate, form, with a subtle bulge at the equator.
However, its influence on water is even more pronounced. The Moon’s gravitational tug gives rise to the phenomenon we know as tides, creating a gravitational gradient across the oceans. This gradient leads to the oceans piling up on one side of the planet, resulting in the formation of a ‘tidal bulge.’
Interestingly, as the Moon orbits our planet, this tidal bulge is not stationary but rather dragged along by the Moon’s gravitational pull. Since Earth rotates at a faster rate than the Moon orbits it—completing one rotation in 24 hours compared to the Moon’s 27.3 days—the tidal bulge precedes the Moon’s orbital position slightly.
This dynamic interaction between Earth and the Moon has intriguing consequences. The Moon’s gravitational force acts as a brake on this forward-moving tidal bulge, effectively attempting to decelerate Earth’s rotation. Over time, this gravitational tug-of-war causes Earth’s rotation rate to gradually slow down.
As a direct outcome of this interaction through gravity, Earth loses a minuscule amount of its energy, while the Moon gains energy in return. Consequently, the Moon experiences a gradual increase in its orbital radius. It spirals away from Earth at an average rate of about 3.8 centimeters per year, illustrating the subtle but continuous dance of celestial bodies and the evolving dynamics of our solar system.
18. Venus Spins Backwards
Venus, often referred to as Earth’s sister planet due to its similar size and proximity to the Sun, possesses a rather enigmatic characteristic within our solar neighborhood. Unlike the majority of planets in our solar system, Venus rotates in the opposite direction, a puzzling phenomenon that has captivated astronomers and planetary scientists.
One theory that has been posited to explain this peculiar behavior is the notion that Venus may have experienced a significant collision with another celestial body during the early stages of the solar system’s formation. Such a colossal impact could have potentially altered Venus’s original rotation, setting it on its current course of spinning in the opposite direction.
However, it’s important to note that despite numerous speculations, no confirmed theory has definitively explained the reason behind Venus’s retrograde rotation relative to the other planets.
Intriguingly, the eccentricities of Venus’s orbit don’t end with its backward spin. The planet’s rotational pace is also noteworthy; a single Venusian day, equivalent to 243 Earth days, actually lasts longer than its year, which is approximately 225 Earth days. This slow and unique rotation pattern only adds to the mystique surrounding this neighboring world, making it a subject of ongoing scientific exploration and fascination.
19. Solar System
While Neptune may be the farthest planet from the Sun in our solar system, it is not the coldest; that title belongs to Uranus, the enigmatic seventh planet. The intriguing question that arises is: Why is Uranus, and not Neptune, the coldest planet in our celestial neighborhood?
Several factors contribute to Uranus’s frigid conditions. Firstly, the planet’s atmosphere plays a crucial role. Uranus possesses a remarkably cold and dense atmosphere, composed mainly of hydrogen, helium, and methane. The presence of methane, in particular, acts as an effective greenhouse gas, trapping heat and preventing it from escaping into space. This atmospheric composition contributes significantly to the planet’s chilling temperatures.
Another aspect to consider is the possibility that Uranus may have lost a substantial portion of its original heat during the early stages of its existence. The mechanisms behind this heat loss are still a subject of scientific investigation, but it’s believed that processes like convection and the planet’s internal heat flow played a role in dissipating its primordial warmth.
Furthermore, Uranus’s peculiar axial tilt sets it apart from the other planets in our solar system. Unlike most planets, which have relatively upright axes of rotation, Uranus is essentially tilted onto its side, almost perpendicular to its orbital plane. This unique tilt results in extreme seasonal variations, with certain regions of the planet experiencing extended periods of sunlight or darkness. This unorthodox axial tilt can contribute to the extreme temperature fluctuations on Uranus’s surface.
In essence, while Neptune may be further from the Sun, a combination of factors, including its atmospheric composition, potential heat loss, and unusual axial tilt, makes Uranus the coldest planet in our solar system, showcasing the complex interplay of celestial forces and planetary dynamics.
20. Heat From The Big Bang
In the infancy of our universe, shortly after the cataclysmic event known as the Big Bang, the cosmos existed in a state of extreme heat and chaos, resembling a scorching, ionized gas—a dense and opaque plasma. It was a turbulent epoch where matter and energy intermingled in a searing maelstrom.
However, as time flowed on, approximately 380,000 years after the momentous birth of the universe, the relentless expansion and cooling of space allowed for a transformative shift. The searing plasma began to cool gradually, reaching a point where atoms could finally take shape and form. This pivotal transition marked the birth of a new era in the universe’s history.
Amidst this cosmic transformation, a profound relic of the Big Bang endured—a background of radiation that continues to permeate the cosmos to this day. This enduring remnant is known as the cosmic microwave background (CMB). It exists as a faint, nearly imperceptible presence, invisible to the naked eye. However, with the aid of specialized instruments and missions designed to detect microwave radiation, such as the European Space Agency’s Planck satellite and the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) mission, scientists have been able to study and unravel the secrets embedded within this ancient cosmic echo. These missions have afforded humanity a deeper understanding of the universe’s early history, unraveling the mysteries of its birth and evolution.