What would a thermometer read if it was in space?

Question

in the case of being shadowed from the sun and not shadowed?

Answer 1

If it is complete darkness and shielded from all sources of heat, it would hit about 2.7 Kelvin (-270.45 C) NOT 0 K like many believe.

This is due to the fact that there is background radiation permiating space.

There is a satellite mission where one of it's objectives was to measure the temperature of the universe. This mission was called COBE (COsmic Background Explorer). What it found was the base temperature of space was 2.725 Kelvin.

If it is exposed to heating sources, it would really depend on how efficiently it reflects back the radiation just like how white objects are cooler than black ones when exposed to light. If we assume it perfectly reflects back any energy, it would read 280 K (7 C) if it was exposed directly to the sun at Earth's distance.

Exposed to only radiation reflected back by non-solar sources, it would read about 5 K.

Answer 2

That would depend on the temperature. and how close you were to a heat source.

But typically, if you were truly in space (i.e. in a vacuum), then you would need a thermometer graded in the Kelvin Scale and that would read 0K, or about -273C.

Answer 3

depends how close it is to a heat source. For example, if it is close to a star it might read extremely high temperature but i heard that if u lived on Pluto your ass would freeze of!

Answer 4

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof? Farenhteit 911? (Sorry, couldn't resist)

Answer 5

Put it in a black hole and your thermometer would be busted and so would Lord Kelvin would have to give you a melvin. J/K.

Answer 6

zero as space is cold

Answer 7

It will read its own temperature.

Answer 8

4K...if you could find one to read that low