SPACE — It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know outer space is weird. So strange, it might even surprise you. Space is dominated by electromagnetic forces that we don’t normally see and feel. It is also full of strange types of matter that we have never experienced on Earth.
Here are five unnatural things that happen almost exclusively in space according to NASA.
1. Plasma
On Earth, matter usually assumes one of three states: solid, liquid, or gas. But in outer space, 99.9 percent of normal matter exists in a completely different form, namely plasma. Made up of ions and loose electrons, these substances are in a supercharged state (a compressed stream) outside the gases that are created when matter is heated to extreme temperatures or subjected to strong electric currents.
Although we rarely interact with plasma, we always see it. All stars in the night sky, including the Sun, are mostly made of plasma. In fact, it occasionally appears on Earth in the form of lightning strikes and neon signs (noble gases).
Compared to gases, where the particles move erratically, plasmas can act collectively, like a team. All of its particles conduct electricity and are affected by electromagnetic fields. These fields can control the movement of charged particles in the plasma and create waves that accelerate the particles to incredible speeds.
Space is full of invisible magnetic fields that form plasma pathways. There is also a similar magnetic field around Earth, which directs plasma through the space around our planet.
On the Sun, the magnetic field launches solar flares and instantly ejects plasma, known as the solar wind. This wind blows across the solar system. When the solar wind reaches Earth, it can drive energetic processes, such as auroras and space weather. If strong enough, this solar wind can damage satellites and telecommunications.
2. Extreme Temperature
From Siberia to the Sahara, Earth experiences a wide temperature range. There are records as high as 134° F and as high as -129° F (57° C to -89° C). But what we think of as extreme on Earth is just a matter of course for outer space. On a planet with no fixed atmosphere, temperatures fluctuate wildly between day and night.
Days on Mercury are regularly around 840°F (449°C) and nights 275°F (-171°C). And in space, some spacecraft experience a temperature difference of 60 °F (33 °C) only between the sunlit side and the shaded side. NASA’s Parker Solar Probe, on its closest approach to the Sun, will experience a difference of more than 2,000 degrees.
Satellites and instruments sent into space are carefully designed to withstand these extreme conditions. NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory spends most of its time in direct sunlight, but several times a year, its orbit passes through Earth’s shadow. During this cosmic conjunction, otherwise known as an eclipse, the temperature of the solar panel facing the Sun drops by 317° F (158° C). The onboard heater will turn on to keep electronics and instruments safe so the temperature drop is only half.
Similarly, astronaut suits are made to withstand temperatures of -250°F to 250°F (-157°C to 121°C). The suit is white to reflect light when in the sun, and heaters are placed throughout the interior to keep astronauts warm when it’s dark. The suit is also designed to provide consistent pressure and oxygen, and resist damage from micrometeorites and the Sun’s ultraviolet radiation.
3. Cosmic Alchemy
Right now, the Sun is squeezing hydrogen into helium in the depths of its core. The process of bringing atoms together under tremendous pressure and temperature, forming new elements is called fusion. When the universe was born, it was mostly hydrogen and helium, plus a few other light elements. Fusion in stars and supernovae have equipped the cosmos with more than 80 other elements, some of which make life possible.
The sun and other stars are excellent fusion production engines. Every second, the Sun combines about 600 million metric tons of hydrogen (the equivalent of 102 times the Great Pyramid of Giza) to produce it. Over time, new, fusion releases large amounts of energy and light particles called photons. These photons take about 250,000 years to reach 434,000 miles (about 700,000 kilometers) to the Sun’s surface. After that, light takes only eight minutes to travel the 93 million miles (150 million kilometers) to Earth.
To be known, fission or fission is a nuclear reaction that breaks down heavy elements into smaller elements. Fission was first demonstrated in laboratories in the 1930s and is currently used for nuclear power generation. The energy released in fission can create a huge explosion.
But fission is still several times less than the energy created by fusion. However, scientists have yet to find a way to control the plasma so that it generates power from the fusion reaction. If this could be done, just imagine what kind of bomb could be created.
4. Magnetic Explosion
Every day, the space around Earth explodes with giant explosions. When the solar wind pushes the magnetosphere (the magnetic environment that surrounds and protects the Earth), it traps the magnetic fields of the Sun and Earth. This process will cause the magnetic field lines to break and then align again. This explosive event is known as magnetic reconnection.
Although we cannot see magnetic reconnection with the naked eye, we can see its effect. Occasionally some of the particles disturbed from this process flow into Earth’s upper atmosphere, where they trigger auroras. Oh yes, the aurora is a phenomenon of radiant light that glows and dances in the night sky. Usually occurs at the poles. Magnetic reconnection occurs throughout the universe wherever there is a rotating magnetic field.
5. Supersonic Shock
On Earth, an easy way to transfer energy is to push something. This often occurs through impact, such as when the wind causes a tree to sway. But in space, particles can transfer energy, even without touching. These strange transfers occur in invisible structures known as shocks.
In these shocks, energy is transferred via plasma waves, electric fields, and magnetism. Think of the particles as a flock of birds flying together, then being pushed by the wind so they fly faster. Particles behave in the same way when they are suddenly faced with a magnetic field. The magnetic field can give the particles a thrust forward.
Shock waves can form when objects travel at supersonic speeds, faster than the speed of sound. If the supersonic flow meets a stationary object, it will form an arc shock. One of the arc shocks is created by the solar wind as it strikes the Earth’s magnetic field.
Shocks appear elsewhere in space, such as around active supernovae that eject plasma clouds. In rare cases, shocks can occur on Earth. This will happen when bullets and airplanes fly faster than the speed of sound.
These five phenomena are common in outer space. Although some can be reproduced in specialized laboratories, most cannot be found under normal circumstances on Earth. Astronomers study these strange things in space so scientists can analyze their properties, providing insight into the complex physics underlying the workings of our universe.
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