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)
-
07:06
Space Station Live: Nutrition, Genetics and Vision in Space
Added 661 Views / 0 LikesSpace Station Live: Nutrition, Genetics and Vision in Space
-
02:11
Space to Ground: All Powered Up: 01/15/2015
Added 614 Views / 0 LikesSpace to Ground: All Powered Up: 01/15/2015
-
07:49
Flight Director Royce Renfrew Discusses Early Spacewalk End
Added 595 Views / 0 LikesFlight Director Royce Renfrew Discusses Early Spacewalk End
-
06:19
Our Home Star - The Sun's 2016 State of the Union
Added 396 Views / 0 LikesOur Home Star - The Sun's 2016 State of the Union
-
05:44
Monster Stock Market Crash Ahead? We are now in the Correction Zone.
Added 578 Views / 0 LikesMonster Stock Market Crash Ahead? We are now in the Correction Zone.
-
03:18
Weird Weather Watch: WTF Winter Atlantic Hurricane Alex? You. Are. Special.
Added 496 Views / 0 LikesWeird Weather Watch: WTF Winter Atlantic Hurricane Alex? You. Are. Special.
-
11:12
NASA's Armageddon Office Space : HELP WANTED! to Save the World from Killer Asteroids
Added 661 Views / 0 LikesNASA's Armageddon Office Space : HELP WANTED! to Save the World from Killer Asteroids
-
01:06
'God Save The Queen' From Space -- UK Astronaut's Message | Video
Added 677 Views / 0 Likes'God Save The Queen' From Space -- UK Astronaut's Message | Video
-
05:31
Dramatically Sharper Gamma-ray Telescope Spots Energetic Sites | Video
Added 577 Views / 0 LikesDramatically Sharper Gamma-ray Telescope Spots Energetic Sites | Video
-
01:08
Double Star Detected By New Black Hole Probe | Video
Added 625 Views / 0 LikesDouble Star Detected By New Black Hole Probe | Video
-
03:50
Did Life Ever Exist On Mars? Russian/European Probe To Find Out | Video
Added 674 Views / 0 LikesDid Life Ever Exist On Mars? Russian/European Probe To Find Out | Video
-
01:01
Is Oddball January Hurricane An Artifact Of Climate Change? | Video
Added 558 Views / 0 LikesIs Oddball January Hurricane An Artifact Of Climate Change? | Video
-
06:52
Human Mars Exploration - How Landing Sites Could Evolve | VIdeo
Added 549 Views / 0 LikesHuman Mars Exploration - How Landing Sites Could Evolve | VIdeo
-
02:17
Space to Ground: Gearing Up For a Spacewalk : 01/08/2016
Added 484 Views / 0 LikesSpace to Ground: Gearing Up For a Spacewalk : 01/08/2016
-
04:01
Double the Data with Space Station Twins Study
Added 596 Views / 0 LikesDouble the Data with Space Station Twins Study
-
05:12
Space Station Live: Gauging the Shaking on Orbit
Added 682 Views / 0 LikesSpace Station Live: Gauging the Shaking on Orbit
-
08:53
Comet c/2013 US10 Catalina is an Awesome & might become Visible!
Added 573 Views / 0 LikesComet c/2013 US10 Catalina is an Awesome & might become Visible!
-
01:05
Black Holes Can Make Stars Actually Twinkle | Video
Added 692 Views / 0 LikesBlack Holes Can Make Stars Actually Twinkle | Video
-
07:52
Weird Weather Watch: 4 Storms to HIT California & the East Freezes
Added 599 Views / 0 LikesWeird Weather Watch: 4 Storms to HIT California & the East Freezes