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New Satellite Images Reveal Just How Dark It Is In Deep Space

The answer really depends on your definition of light. New Satellite Images Reveal Just How Dark It Is In Deep Space Giphy

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While we are treated to a steady supply of sunlight from the star in the center of our solar system, there are countless regions of the universe far removed from any such source. And scientists have long wondered exactly how black it can get in these remote recesses of the cosmos.

Thanks to the powerful telescopes currently peering out further than ever before, we now have some answers.

The cosmic optical background

Astronomers have gathered evidence primarily from the Hubble and James Webb telescopes, creating what they call the cosmic optical background. Essentially, this refers to a tapestry of all light created across the observable universe since its creation more than 12 billion years ago.

If this sounds like an almost impossible undertaking, that’s because it is. In fact, there’s no way to accurately gauge this information from our own planet due to the sunlight dissipated across the solar system by interplanetary dust. But by using telescopes aboard the New Horizons space probe, which is now about 5.4 billion miles away from Earth, the perspective is just right to reflect on our place in a vast, often unbelievably dark universe.

Invisible to the naked eye

By one measure, it would seem that deep space is as close to completely devoid of light as possible. But that’s only considering visible light. But modern equipment can pick up infrared, microwaves, gamma rays, and other forms of radiation that meet the definition of light even though the human eye can’t see them.

This adds some complexity to the process, but astronomer Tod Lauer broke it down in simple terms. All of the cosmic optical background created over the lifetime of the universe stems directly from the birth of galaxies.

“Looking outside the galaxies,” he said, “we find darkness there and nothing more.”

Chris Agee
Chris Agee September 5th, 2024
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