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

Question

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: 19

Answer 1

ElectroMagnetic Radiation.

In space there is no medium for the Specific frequency that is heat (Infra Red) to influence to generate radiant heat.

Until the light hits something, such as the Earth, the Infra Red spectrum radiates the solid structures creating heat.

For a person on a space walk on the ISS, the space suit has to endure positive temperatures from the sun light hitting the suit, causing temperatures of several Hundred degrees, and Negative Several Hundred in shadow.