eli5: Why isn’t outer space hot (or at least not freezing)?

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The sun warms up our planet but space is cold. If I lit a candle and stood 20 feet away, I could see the light but not feel the warmth. So, why do we feel warmth from the sun but space isn’t warmed by it?

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Anonymous 0 Comments

Other people have answered so I’d just like to add: you do experience the warmth from a candle 20 feet away. It is a small amount of heat but still measurable.

If you put your hand directly over the candle you will feel the hot air on your hand and yes, of course you are not feeling this heat (directly) from 20 feet away. Instead you feel the thermal radiation (think invisible light being beamed at you from the candle). If you’ve ever been near a bonfire you will certainly know this experience: it is a heat that makes your skin feel dry, and covering your face with a hand will shield you from it since you’re blocking the radiation.

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