Outer Space & Universe
Outer Space & Universe
Space, also known as outer space, is the near-vacuum between celestial bodies. It is where everything (all of the planets, stars, galaxies and other objects) is found.
On Earth, space begins at the Kármán line (100 km above sea level). This is where Earth's atmosphere is said to stop and outer space begins. This is not a firm boundary but is a convention used by scientists and diplomats.
Items in space are free to move back and forth; up and down; and left and right. These three dimensions are what make 3D space. Items also move forward through time, which is sometimes called the fourth dimension.
The majority of space contains very little matter and so most of it is a vacuum. Scientists do not know how big space is but we do know that space is extremely big, and is always expanding.
According to the big bang theory, all matter and energy in the Universe was compressed into a very small space. Then it exploded and started expanding. Space is still growing in size today; this means the distance from one galaxy to distant galaxies is getting longer.
Gravity is the force that keeps the Moon in orbit around the Earth and the planets in orbit around the Sun. Gravity can stretch and bend space similar to how a heavy ball placed on a stretched sheet of rubber will cause the rubber to stretch. The scientist who discovered that space can bend is named Albert Einstein. How gravity bends space is part of his theory of general relativity.
Astronauts, Cosmonauts, Taikonauts and Spationauts
An astronaut is any person who is trained by NASA to travel and perform tasks in space. Although the space traveler may not necessarily be a United States citizen, each astronaut does go through a rigorous training regiment by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Other space travelers go by other names then astronaut depending on their country of origin.
In the United States, astronaut is derived from the Greek words ástron (star) and nautis (sailor). While, in Russia, a space traveler goes by the name космонавт (English: cosmonaut), which is derived from the Greek words kosmos (universe) and nautis (sailor). Westerners call a space traveler from China a taikonaut, based on the 1998 writings of Chiew Lee Yik and Chen Lan where the term tàikōng (great emptiness), Chinese for “space”. In China, the term yuháng yuán (universe navigator) is used for space traveler.
Only the United States of America (United States), Russia (earlier, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics), and the People’s Republic of China (China) have sent manned spacecraft into space. Other countries have assisted these countries by sending their own space travelers on space missions. For instance, a French space traveler is called a spationaut (from the French word spationaute), which is derived from the Latin spatium (space) and Greek nautis (sailor). (plural in Greek nautes = sailors)
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00:29
SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket Sports Re-Usable Tech | Pre-Launch Time-Lapse Video
Added 764 Views / 0 LikesThe Falcon 9 rocket carrying a Dragon capsule bound for the Space Station, was lifted into its vertical position at its Cape Canaveral Air Force Station launch pad. Read more about re-usable tech: http://goo.gl/QUc4zC
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04:00
Close Saturn, Planets and 2 Meteor Showers | May 2014 Skywatching Video
Added 764 Views / 0 LikesSaturn is close and bright throughout 2014 but maybe best on May 10th 'opposition,' its moons visible with telescope. Mars shares the Eastern sky with the ringed gas giant. Skywatching Guide: http://goo.gl/uETMG9
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03:17
How Does Mars Make Liquid Water? | Video
Added 763 Views / 0 LikesHow Does Mars Make Liquid Water? | Video
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01:08
Massive Winter Storm 'Pax' Seen From Space | Time-Lapse Video
Added 763 Views / 0 LikesThe NOAA GOES-East satellite has sent imagery down to Earth from Feb. 10-12, 2014. The storm is blasting the east coast of the United States with dangerous winter weather.
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01:09
Again! New Asteroid Only 44,000 Miles From Earth's Surface | Orbit Animation
Added 763 Views / 0 LikesA space rock named 2014 EC (discovered March 5th, 2014, estimated 13-45 feet-wide) will give Earth a close shave on March 6th. This is the second asteroid that has flown between the Earth and moon in consecutive days.
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01:08
100-Foot Space Rock Flies Between Moon and Earth | Video
Added 763 Views / 0 LikesAsteroid 2014 DX110 was captured by Gianluca Masi of the Virtual Telescope Project (virtualtelescope.eu). Its closest approach is ~217,000 miles away from Earth on March 5th, 2014. (looped)
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04:17
SpaceX Launches Cargo Mission to Space Station, Reusable Rocket Test | Video
Added 763 Views / 0 LikesThe Falcon 9 rocket carrying Dragon lifted off from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on April 18th, 2014. Its first stage has retractable legs attached and an re-entry burn and water landing will be attempted.
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05:49
Earth enters the Danger Zone. Sweet Solar Doom* candy!
Added 763 Views / 0 LikesEarth enters the Danger Zone. Sweet Solar Doom* candy!
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01:14
Jupiter-Sized Planet Orbiting Two Star System Is Largest Found Yet | Video
Added 763 Views / 0 LikesJupiter-Sized Planet Orbiting Two Star System Is Largest Found Yet | Video
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01:18
Secretive Air Force Space Plane X37B Lands | Video
Added 762 Views / 0 LikesAfter a mission of unknown purpose, unmanned X-37B spacecraft, also known as Orbital Test Vehicle-2 (OTV-2), glided back on auto-pilot, touching down at California's Vandenberg Air Force Base at 5:48 a.m. PDT on 16 June 2012. [Infrared and visible.]
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01:44
Hot Young Stars Sculpt Beautiful Stellar Clouds | Video
Added 762 Views / 0 LikesThese hot young stars, which are much heavier and will have short lives, have painted the curious and whimsical clouds of gas and dust in this photo of star cluster NGC 3572. Credit: ESO
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22:30
The Astonishers: DutchSinse Suspicious0bservers Dahboo7 THORnews &
Added 762 Views / 0 LikesThe Astonishers: DutchSinse Suspicious0bservers Dahboo7 THORnews &
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11:39
What are the most famous Stars in the Universe?
Added 762 Views / 0 LikesWhat are the most famous Stars in the Universe?
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05:34
Mega Monster Coronal Mass Ejection & Unusual Sungrazing Comet!
Added 762 Views / 0 LikesMega Monster Coronal Mass Ejection & Unusual Sungrazing Comet!
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06:17
Cosmonauts Break Spacewalk Record Attempting To Install Cameras | Video
Added 761 Views / 0 LikesTwo Russian Cosmonauts installed a pair of high-fidelity cameras outside the International Space Station but had to remove them after telemetry problems, resulting in a new record for the longest Russian space walk at 8 hours and 7 minutes.
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01:37
Violent Galaxy Collision Creates Beautiful 'Cosmic Bloom' | Video
Added 761 Views / 0 LikesElliptical galaxy PGC 6240 is the product of a galactic merger. Astronomers liken it to a pale rose, that is constructed by hazy shells of stars. The Hubble Space Telescope had delivered sharply detailed imaged of the Hydrus constellation galaxy.
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01:04
Trailer-Sized Asteroid To Zoom Between Earth and Moon | Animation
Added 761 Views / 0 LikesAsteroid 2013 UV3 will fly closer than the Moon (~.7 Lunar distance) on Oct. 29th, 2013. It is estimated to be between 39 and 89 feet wide. Learn more here: http://goo.gl/ua8Qvp
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01:13
1300-Foot-Wide Asteroid 2013 TV135's Near-Earth Flyby | Orbit Animation
Added 761 Views / 0 LikesThe space rock was discovered on October 8th, 2013 by the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory in Ukraine. It came within 4.2 million miles and currently has a 1 in 63000 chance of impacting Earth in 2032. Read more about it here: http://goo.gl/UYDdCd Credit
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06:31
January 2014 Skywatching - When, Where&How Video
Added 761 Views / 0 LikesA crescent Venus, Jupiter at opposition, Taurus constellation and its Red-Giant 'eye' and the Quadrantid meteor shower makes for quite a skywatching show. In the market for a telescope? - Click the blue 'SHOP' link above.