How does the Sun heat Earth but the space in between Earth and the Sun is cold?

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If the Sun is able to keep Earth warm while being millions of miles away, shouldn’t it get warmer and warmer the closer you get to it (like when you go to space)? Like how it would get warmer if you were to approach a burning house for example?

In: Planetary Science

14 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

Space is cold because it is mostly empty, so there isn’t enough matter to gain and retain heat.

But heat is still a problem in space, which is why space suits for EVA are designed with insulation and cooling to keep the wearer from getting too hot in the sun or too cold in the shade. There is also a cooling solution for space craft and stations that transfer heat from the hot side to the cool side to regulate the temperature. They also have tinted windows to help block harmful UV radiation.

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