What is space? I mean, what is actually between the planets?

Answer 1

space is the area beyond the earth's atmosphere. it contains planets, stars and everything else not on earth. the area between these objects is as close to a perfect vacuum as possible.

Answer 2

Space is so much more than an empty vacuum.

At 200 miles above the surface of the earth
you are already above 99.97% of the earth's
atmosphere and in space and in a virtual vacuum.

Consider these terms:

Interplanetary space - space between planets
Interstellar space - space between stars in a galaxy
Intergalactic space - space between galaxies

Basically space is a 3 dimensional volume generally
absent of matter. A void or virtual vacuum.

Two galaxies like our Milky Way and Andromeda are
some 2.2 million light years apart, yet they are
attracting each other gravitationally.

Their gravitons are permeating this space between
them. Photons of light are traversing the same
space, as well as magnetic fields.

In other words, different forms of energy are
pervading so called 'empty space'.

Sporadically this energy in a vacuum can produce
spontaneous particle pairs or virtual particles
that exist then recombine totally annihilating
each other. Wheeler calls it quantum foam.

Also we know gravity bends space warping it.
If space was absolutely nothing, what is there to
be warped or bent?

Time, as the 4th dimension, intimately woven
into the 3 spacial dimensions. These 4 dimensions
are inseparable - there is no such thing as space
without time. Time is warped too.

In the 1920's Edwin Hubble showed that the universe is expanding. Today we know the universe is expanding - not because the galaxies are flying apart but because the SPACE between them is expanding.

Answer 3

Space, whats between the planets and stars is a vacuum, however that's not quite true. It's known that the stuff the planets are made from, all the known elements in the periodic table, comes from the stars themselves.As a star ejects burning fuel into space (which we see and feel as light and heat) so it travels through space. So if there is light travelling in space it's not a total vacuum!

Answer 4

Space is the entity that orchestrates all aspects of the universe.
If you eliminate the space between two planets,the planets come in contact with each other.
Space seems like nothing but if you eliminated space there would be nothing.

Answer 5

There is a joke that time is just nature's way of keeping everything form happening all at once. Well space is nature's way of keeping things from all being in the same place. Most likely space is nothng more than what we perceive as the distance between objects. It may be, but probably is not, some sort of field, although there are various fields in space, gravitational , elector magnetic etc.

Answer 6

Several really stupid, incorrect answers here. Space is so called because it is empty, or virtually so. In fact there are a few particles of almost anything and a few molecules of almost anything, but they are so thinly dispersed as to be virtually absent. One can assert all manner of quantum notions about open space, but at an interplanetary level, the answer is "in practical terms, nothing."

This is a suitable question and does not, in fact, belong under philosophy. "What's between the planets?" is a question about the knowledge base of science.

I do tend to agree with Silverwolf. I have often wondered if all the mates to my socks that have vanished between the washer and the dryer are not out there somewhere in comet-like orbits. LOL!

Answer 7

Space refers collectively to the relatively empty parts of the universe. Any area outside the atmospheres of any celestial body can be considered 'space'. Although space is certainly spacious, it is not always empty, but can be filled with matter — say a tenuous plasma. In particular, the boundary between space and Earth's atmosphere is conventionally set at the Karman line.

Answer 8

Space is what that fills in between the planets, stars and everything in the universe.
The space started with Big-Bang and will end with Big-Crunch. That means before our universe existed there was no Space and after our universe dies there will be no more Space .

Answer 9

Arguably alot more than 'nothing' but barely enough to really earn the title of 'something'.

There are various theories of the different fields and types of particles (atomic or otherwise) which may (or may not) exist in space, but then what would be between them?

Nothing can be infinitely small so 'nothing' would be in the gap.

Depends on what sort of scale your talking - in a square kilometer you could have random atoms, quarks or an asteroid which is alot relative to what would be contained in a square nanometer.

Its up to you.

Answer 10

space did not exist before big bang ( if you believe in this theory),It came into being the next instant.It expanded untill now and is still expanding.one may experience space, if he were to move much quicker(closer to speed of light), if he were to move closer or away from large masses , as the mass would have changed space around it.In what form you would experience it, difficult to say.

one thing is certain. The space between planets in our solar system and milky way is filled with photons(electro magnetic energy forms ) from, sun and other stars
I am sure you are not referring to what is filling the space.