Interplanetary space is not empty.
Interplanetary Space
Interplanetary space, or the space between the planets, is not empty but is filled with the solar wind, and the Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF), as well as cosmic rays, and dust.
Another name for interplanetary space is the Heliosphere, because the space between the planets is the total space which is under the influence of the sun. Just how big the heliosphere is (in AU's), nobody knows.
The space between the planets is different from the space between the stars, or Interstellar Space.
Particles of the solar wind travel through interplanetary space at supersonic speeds. A bow shock helps the solar wind to go around obstacles in interplanetary space such as comets and planetary magnetospheres.
Shop Windows to the Universe Science Store!
Our
online store includes
books on science education, ranging from
evolution,
classroom research, and the
need for science and math literacy!
You might also be interested in:
AU stands for Astronomical Units. Distances in space are too large to measure in Earth standards like miles or kilometers. For distances too large to measue in AU, we use light years. A light year is the
...more
The solar wind is formed as the Sun's topmost layer blows off into space carrying with it magnetic fields still attached to the Sun. Gusts and disturbances form in the solar wind associated with violent
...more
For a planet to be affected by a blob of material being ejected by the sun, the planet must be in the path of the blob, as shown in this picture. The Earth and its magnetosphere are shown in the bottom
...more
The aurora we are most familiar with is the polar aurora. This is what people are referring to when they speak of the northern or southern lights. But there are other less-known auroral activity, such
...more
This figure shows the effect of the aurora on the atmosphere. When FAC's enter the atmosphere and create the aurora, they warm the atmosphere impulsively. This impulse travels throughout the atmosphere
...more
This picture illustrates the streaming of particles into and out of the auroral zone, as Field-aligned currents (FAC's) short-circuit through the ionosphere. Some of the particles entering the auroral
...more
This figure shows a series of images of the auroral oval as it expands over the course of about an hour in response to a geomagnetic storm. This is an animation of the expanding auroral oval.
...more
