what is the average temperature in space?

Question

like in fehreheit

Answer 1

I believe that the temperature in outer space far away from any source of heat is only a few degrees above absolute zero. These few degrees are theorized to be in existance because of left over heat that was a result of the Big Bang.

Demonsthenes

Answer 2

On the large scale it will average out to _extremely_ close to 2.725K, the temperature of the cosmic microwave background radiation. Space is mostly empty space! And to the "space has no temperature" comments: First, space is not a perfect vacuum. Second, temperature refers specifically to all mass-energy which has an equivalent temperature, such as the photons of the CMBR or elementary particles which compose things like stars. Because the CMBR is composed of photons from the matter-antimatter annihilation stage of the Big Bang, of which only 1/10^9 particles actually became normalized matter, yeah I'd say you can pretty much let the CMRB represent the average temperature on large scales.

Answer 3

Space has no temperature per se. Temperature is determined by the molecular activity of the molecules present. Thus, a "hard" vacumn of space has no molecules present, thus no temperature as such. However, if one carries a thermometer into space, the energy of the Sun falls on the thermometer and heats the thermometer, and the thermometer would register some temperature value, depending on how far it is from the Sun and that would be that of the thermometer being heated and not the non existing mass/matter not present in the vicinity of the thermometer. It can be a hard concept to follow, like if a tree falls in the woods, and there is no ear to hear, does the tree
make a sound? Now, we hear about the "Background radiation" of about 3 degrees and this is true, but it is more
radiomagnetic in nature rather that of molecluar activity, which is what us Humans experience. This is what Bell Telephone found accidently during the 1960's when setting up antennas for telephone service then, a persistant "hiss" was found and VIOLA, Background Radiation. So one should not badmouth Mama Bell as they did contribute to our knowledge base on background radiation.

Answer 4

That depends. If you are near a star like our sun the temperature will be in extremes. Hundreds of degrees F above and below zero depending if facing the star or on the shaded side.

If you are in open space and many lightyears from a star, the average temperature is approx.
2-3 degrees above absolute zero.
About -456 F because absolute zero is -459 F.
The background radiation from the Big Bang causes the remaining 3 degrees in space until entropy eventually removes that.

Answer 5

A followup to mqgarcia39:

An alternative definition of temperature is in terms of radiation density rather than molecular motion.

In areas where you actually have molecules, the two definitions are equivalent: molecular motion of a certain temperature will produce a certain radiation spectrum; and a certain radiation spectrum falling on matter will produce a certain amount of molecular motion.

In areas where you don't have molecules, you can still have radiation of a particular spectral density. If that spectral density happens to match the same spectral density that you find around matter that's at X degrees, then it's reasonable to say (to define) that the temperature of that matter-free space is X degrees.

Answer 6

Far from any heat source, the average temperature in space is a few degrees above absolute zero (which is -455 degrees Fahrenheit).

Answer 7

About -457 F. This is called the cosmic microwave background radiation and is the left over temperature from the Big Bang that created our universe.

Answer 8

A few degrees above absolute zero Kelvin, unless of course there is a star nearby. Zero Kelvin is -273 degrees Celsius. Fahrenheit would be even a bigger number below zero, -459.67 °F, making empty space about minus 450 °F.

Answer 9

Absolutely cold as Fn hell.