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)
-
14:56
Trump is the President of United Distraction & Both Political Parties are Garbage
Added 566 Views / 0 LikesTrump is the President of United Distraction & Both Political Parties are Garbage
-
04:29
Blastoff! Progress 68 Space Station Resupply Mission Launches
Added 494 Views / 0 LikesBlastoff! Progress 68 Space Station Resupply Mission Launches
-
12:05
Pacific NW Rain Train & European Hurricane Ophelia & Gravity Waves & Auroras & Wildfires
Added 553 Views / 0 LikesPacific NW Rain Train & European Hurricane Ophelia & Gravity Waves & Auroras & Wildfires
-
01:50
Space to Ground: Quick Work: 10/13/2017
Added 516 Views / 0 LikesSpace to Ground: Quick Work: 10/13/2017
-
18:29
Hurricane Ophelia & Earth is wearing a seat belt of rain.
Added 570 Views / 0 LikesHurricane Ophelia & Earth is wearing a seat belt of rain.
-
03:23
THORnews T-shirts = Sunking & The Throw Available now!
Added 533 Views / 0 LikesTHORnews T-shirts = Sunking & The Throw Available now!
-
02:39
Spacex Lands Reused 1st Stage on Drone Ship
Added 606 Views / 0 LikesSpacex Lands Reused 1st Stage on Drone Ship
-
04:04
SpaceX Launches Echostar Satellite with Used Rocket
Added 411 Views / 0 LikesSpaceX Launches Echostar Satellite with Used Rocket
-
04:00
Hubblecast 102: Taking the fingerprints of exoplanets
Added 380 Views / 0 LikesHubblecast 102: Taking the fingerprints of exoplanets
-
04:00
How Hubble Observes Alien World Atmospheres and Its Limitations
Added 532 Views / 0 LikesHow Hubble Observes Alien World Atmospheres and Its Limitations
-
09:30
'Star Trek' Galileo Shuttlecraft – How It Was Restored To Flight Status
Added 513 Views / 0 Likes'Star Trek' Galileo Shuttlecraft – How It Was Restored To Flight Status
-
06:25
URGENT! message from 12 Veterans in Puerto Rico! CLEAR THE RED TAPE!
Added 520 Views / 0 LikesURGENT! message from 12 Veterans in Puerto Rico! CLEAR THE RED TAPE!
-
04:19
Fascinating High-Altitude ‘Flashes and Glows’ Studied by NASA
Added 544 Views / 0 LikesFascinating High-Altitude ‘Flashes and Glows’ Studied by NASA
-
02:06
Lunar Day - Learn How It is Measured to Celebrate Moon Orbiter’s Milestone
Added 562 Views / 0 LikesLunar Day - Learn How It is Measured to Celebrate Moon Orbiter’s Milestone
-
16:58
The Weather is only going to get Weirder & Wilder
Added 473 Views / 0 LikesThe Weather is only going to get Weirder & Wilder
-
02:13
SpaceX Deploys Iridium NEXT Satellites - View From Space
Added 580 Views / 0 LikesSpaceX Deploys Iridium NEXT Satellites - View From Space
-
03:27
SpaceX Launches 10 Iridium Satellites Atop Falcon 9 Rocket
Added 584 Views / 0 LikesSpaceX Launches 10 Iridium Satellites Atop Falcon 9 Rocket
-
02:27
Touchdown! SpaceX Lands Rocket After Launching 10 Satellites
Added 602 Views / 0 LikesTouchdown! SpaceX Lands Rocket After Launching 10 Satellites