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)
-
02:25
Space to Ground: Space Spinners: 11/03/2017
Added 495 Views / 0 LikesSpace to Ground: Space Spinners: 11/03/2017
-
05:19
Nov. 2017 Skywatching - Planets, Constellations and Leonid Meteors
Added 577 Views / 0 LikesNov. 2017 Skywatching - Planets, Constellations and Leonid Meteors
-
01:30
Nuclear Space Propulsion To Mars? NASA Talks Challenges
Added 552 Views / 0 LikesNuclear Space Propulsion To Mars? NASA Talks Challenges
-
05:15
Bridenstine Responds to Climate Change Questions In Senate Hearing
Added 527 Views / 0 LikesBridenstine Responds to Climate Change Questions In Senate Hearing
-
04:43
NASA Admin. Confirmation Hearing - Rep. Bridenstine Opening Comments
Added 585 Views / 0 LikesNASA Admin. Confirmation Hearing - Rep. Bridenstine Opening Comments
-
07:28
Senator Nelson Doesn't Pull Punches in NASA Administrator Confirmation Hearing
Added 502 Views / 0 LikesSenator Nelson Doesn't Pull Punches in NASA Administrator Confirmation Hearing
-
03:32
SpaceX Lands 1st Stage Again on ‘Of Course I Still Love You’ Drone Ship
Added 526 Views / 0 LikesSpaceX Lands 1st Stage Again on ‘Of Course I Still Love You’ Drone Ship
-
03:31
Blastoff! SpaceX Launches Koreasat-5A Communications Satellite
Added 544 Views / 0 LikesBlastoff! SpaceX Launches Koreasat-5A Communications Satellite
-
00:51
NGC 1316 - Zoom into 4th Brightest Radio Source in the Sky
Added 474 Views / 0 LikesNGC 1316 - Zoom into 4th Brightest Radio Source in the Sky
-
09:20
NYC saved by the Invisible hand of the Free* Market? an East Coast Bad Weather Date part 6
Added 570 Views / 0 LikesNYC saved by the Invisible hand of the Free* Market? an East Coast Bad Weather Date part 6
-
13:30
100* mph wind gusts? an East Coast Bad Weather Date part 5
Added 529 Views / 0 Likes100* mph wind gusts? an East Coast Bad Weather Date part 5
-
15:45
mood: BOMBOGENESIS, baby! an East Coast Bad Weather Date part 4
Added 517 Views / 0 Likesmood: BOMBOGENESIS, baby! an East Coast Bad Weather Date part 4
-
14:45
It begins! The Wind is the Trick. an East Coast Bad Weather Date part 3
Added 570 Views / 0 LikesIt begins! The Wind is the Trick. an East Coast Bad Weather Date part 3
-
13:26
Wet New York Donkey Punch or no? East Coast Bad Weather Date part 2
Added 552 Views / 0 LikesWet New York Donkey Punch or no? East Coast Bad Weather Date part 2
-
17:37
the 24 hr THORnews Bad Weather Date with the East Coast begins now.
Added 556 Views / 0 Likesthe 24 hr THORnews Bad Weather Date with the East Coast begins now.
-
12:13
Alert! Danger! Major East Coast Storm more Dangerous than originally forecast!
Added 622 Views / 0 LikesAlert! Danger! Major East Coast Storm more Dangerous than originally forecast!
-
08:20
East Coast Frankenstein Storm Philippe to Cause MAJOR Wind & Flood Damage
Added 573 Views / 0 LikesEast Coast Frankenstein Storm Philippe to Cause MAJOR Wind & Flood Damage
-
07:07
projected NYC Landfall by deadly Frankenstein Storm! & entire N. East coast affected
Added 512 Views / 0 Likesprojected NYC Landfall by deadly Frankenstein Storm! & entire N. East coast affected
-
12:27
Freak Double Storm to be Major Trouble for big East Coast Cities!
Added 580 Views / 0 LikesFreak Double Storm to be Major Trouble for big East Coast Cities!