Sur
prising Facts about Space Space is an incredibly fascinating and vast frontier that humans have been exploring for centuries. However, there is still so much we don't know about the cosmos. Here are some surprising facts about space that will leave you awestruck.
1. Space smells like seared steak and metal While humans can’t breathe in space, some astronauts have reported that space has a unique smell that resembles a blend of seared steak, welding fumes, and hot metal. The smell is believed to be caused by the breakdown of the atomic particles and dust floating in space.
2. There are around 100 billion galaxies in the observable universe Our Milky Way galaxy is just one of the 100 billion known galaxies in the observable universe. The observable universe is an estimated 93 billion light years in diameter.
3. The sun produces 386 billion megawatts of energy every second The sun is a powerful source of energy that produces about 386 billion megawatts of energy every second. This energy is released through the process of nuclear fusion, which releases a tremendous amount of heat and light.
4. One day on Venus is longer than one year on Venus Due to its slow rotation, it takes Venus about 243 Earth days to complete one rotation, but it only takes 225 Earth days for Venus to complete one orbit around the sun. This means that one day on Venus is longer than one year on Venus.
5. The hottest planet in the solar system is not closest to the sun Contrary to popular belief, the planet closest to the sun, Mercury, is not the hottest planet in the solar system. Venus, which is second closest, has a surface temperature that can reach up to 460 degrees Celsius, making it the hottest planet in the solar system.
6. One neutron star has about the same mass as the entire sun A neutron star is a collapsed core of a massive star that has undergone a supernova explosion. Despite being only about 20 kilometers in diameter, a neutron star can have a mass that is
1.5 times that of the sun, meaning that it is incredibly dense.
7. There is no sound in space Because space is a vacuum, sound cannot travel through it. Therefore, there is no sound in space, contrary to the portrayal of space in movies and television shows.
8. The moon is slowly drifting away from Earth The moon was formed about
4.5 billion years ago, and since then, it has been slowly moving away from Earth at a rate of about
3.8 centimeters per year. Scientists estimate that in about 50 billion years, the moon will have moved far enough away from Earth to no longer cause tides on our planet. In conclusion, space is full of incredible mysteries and surprising facts that continue to amaze and inspire us. As our knowledge of the cosmos grows, we will undoubtedly uncover even more groundbreaking information about the universe we inhabit.