33 sự thật thú vị về không gian cho tâm trí tò mò

Space is full of mystery, wonder, and a wealth of information that can spark any imagination. For parents and teachers, sharing these fascinating facts about space is a great way to inspire curiosity and teach children about the universe.

Learning about space opens up a world of possibilities for children. It encourages critical thinking, sparks creativity, and helps them better understand Earth’s place in the universe. These fun space facts are a great resource for teachers looking for fascinating information about space and parents nurturing a love of exploration. Perfect for elementary school-aged kids, these space facts bring the wonders of the cosmos down to earth in a fun and easy-to-grasp way.

33 interesting facts about space

1. The space smells like burnt steak.

Astronaut Chris Hadfield has described the smell of space as similar to steak and gunpowder. The scent comes from particles that cling to his spacesuit after spaceflight.

2. The sun is very big.

The radius of the sun is 109 times that of Earth. In terms of mass, the sun could fit about 1.3 million Earths inside it! But it is still considered a medium-sized star.

3. Venus rotates in the opposite direction from the other planets.

Most planets spin in the same direction, but Venus and Uranus like to do their own thing. Venus spins backwards, and Uranus spins on its side!

4.

Jupiter’s Great Red Spot is a massive storm larger than Earth that has been raging for at least 400 years.

5. Humans have left more than 500,000 pounds of stuff on the moon.

Since Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed on the moon in 1969, astronauts have left spacecraft, rovers, and other equipment behind. More than 70 space vehicles remain on the moon because they are too heavy to bring back!

6. There is water in space.

Astronomers have found water in various forms on planets, moons, and even in giant clouds floating in space.

7. A day on Venus is longer than its year.

Venus rotates so slowly that it takes 243 Earth days to rotate once on its axis but only 225 Earth days to orbit the sun.

8. Saturn can float in water.

Saturn is so light (for a planet) that it could float in an ocean if it had one big enough!

9. Mercury and Venus have no moons.

Mercury and Venus are moonless wonders! They are the only planets in our solar system that don’t have a moon to keep them company.

10. Pluto is smaller than the United States.

Pluto is only about half as wide as the United States! Walking around Pluto’s equator would be shorter than crossing the continental United States from coast to coast.

11. There is a giant volcano on Mars.

Olympus Mons, a giant volcano on Mars, is nearly three times the height of Mount Everest.

12. Stars are born in nurseries.

Stellar nurseries are giant clouds of gas and dust where new stars are formed.

13. Uranus is frozen cold.

Uranus is the coldest planet in our solar system, with temperatures dropping as low as -371°F (-224°C). Its icy surface and methane-filled atmosphere keep its storms hidden in the clouds.

14. The hottest stars are blue.

It may sound surprising, but blue stars are the hottest, while red stars, although they are still really hot, are not as hot as blue stars.

15. The suction cup will not work in space.

Suction cups need air to create a seal and stick to surfaces, but there is no air in space! Without air pressure, the suction cup cannot hold.

16. Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system.

If Jupiter were an empty shell, you could fit 1,000 Earths inside. Now that’s a giant planet!

17. Stars that rotate are not really stars.

Also known as meteoroids, shooting stars are small pieces of space dust or rock, often left behind by comets, that burn up and glow as they race through Earth’s atmosphere.

18. There is a heart-shaped glacier on Pluto.

A giant glacier in the shape of a heart covers part of Pluto, making it one of the coldest places in the solar system.

19. Saturn has 146 moons.

With 146 moons, Saturn holds the record for most moons in the solar system, including the giant Titan, which is larger than Mercury, and small moons no bigger than a sports arena.

20. Tears do not fall in space.

Tears don’t fall into space because there’s no gravity to pull them down. Instead, they stick together and form little floating blobs, thanks to surface tension, which holds the water molecules together.

21. Astronauts grow taller in space.

Without gravity pulling them down, astronauts can grow up to 2 inches taller while in space.

22. It rains diamonds on Neptune and Uranus.

It rains diamonds on Neptune and Uranus, the ice giants of our solar system! The intense heat and pressure on these planets can turn carbon into diamonds, creating a sparkling shower from the sky.

23. The Earth is made mostly of iron.

About one-third of the Earth’s mass is iron, most of it in the core.

24. Black holes can sing.

Black holes can sing in English by emitting sound waves, but their pitch is so low that humans can’t hear them. Although sound can’t travel through the empty space between us and a black hole, scientists can detect these waves using X-ray observations, allowing us to see their strange cosmic tunes. This is one of the coolest facts about space!

25. The Milky Way has many names.

Our galaxy, the Milky Way, is known by different names. In China, it is called the Silver River, and in the Kalahari Desert of South Africa, it is called the spine of the night. Each name reflects how different cultures around the world view the wonder of the stars!

26. The International Space Station is the largest human structure ever sent into space.

The International Space Station is almost as tall as an American football field, 357 feet (109 meters)! Weighing in at 925,000 pounds, it’s the largest structure humans have ever sent into space.

27. Astronauts don’t eat bread in space.

Astronauts on the International Space Station don’t eat bread because crumbs will float everywhere and potentially damage equipment. Instead, they use tortillas that are crumb-free, no mess, just space-friendly sandwiches!

28. Comets look like giant snowballs.

Comets are like giant snowballs of rock, dust, and ice flying through space. As they approach the sun, they heat up and develop brilliant tails that can stretch for millions of miles!

29. The name Earth comes from Old English and German roots.

Unlike other planets, Earth’s name doesn’t come from Greek or Roman mythology. Instead, it comes from Old English and German roots!

30. Astronauts can call home from space using radio waves.

In space, no one can hear a thing because sound waves need air to travel, and space is a giant void. But don’t worry: radio waves work just fine, so you can still send messages home!

31. Galaxies can devour each other.

Through galactic cannibalism, larger galaxies devour smaller ones by pulling them in with their gravity. This creates fantastic shapes, like the Whirlpool and Antenna galaxies.

32. Astronauts Strap to Sleep.

Astronauts sleep in small compartments and strap themselves into sleeping bags so they can’t float around while they sleep in space due to the lack of gravity!

33. Pluto is not the only dwarf planet in our solar system.

There are five officially recognized dwarf planets in our solar system: Ceres, Pluto, Haumea, Makemake, and Eris. And who knows? We may discover more as we explore the universe!

Whether they dream of becoming an astronaut or are simply fascinated, fun facts about space are a great way to spark curiosity in children. Share these facts with your students or children and watch their excitement to learn about the universe grow.

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