How High is Space? Astronomy Facts

[!Jon Snow!]

Look up, there’s space. Astronomically speaking, it’s right there, just outside a thin layer of atmosphere. But how far away is it? How high is space?

 

[Nova]

As far as space goes, there is no end. Because space is relatively nothing, its infinite.

 

[Drakkith]

The Kármán line, at an altitude of 100 km, is typically used as the start of space and the end of the atmosphere, but not always.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kármán_line

 

[BobG]

Not always because the Karman line considers the impact the atmosphere has on aerodynamic flight, but ignores the impact the atmosphere has on orbital flight. You'd actually have to be a bit higher than 100 km to achieve at least one entire orbit.

But at least 100 km is a nice round number.

And it is the most common definition, in spite of its shortcomings.

 

[pmacias]

I can tell you that the concept of "space" is not as straightforward as it may seem. The height of space can vary depending on the context in which it is being discussed. In terms of Earth's atmosphere, space is generally considered to begin at an altitude of about 100 kilometers, known as the Kármán line. This is where the Earth's atmosphere becomes too thin to support flight and satellites are able to orbit without being affected by atmospheric drag.

However, in terms of the universe as a whole, the concept of "space" becomes much more complex. The observable universe is estimated to be about 93 billion light-years in diameter, meaning that the distance to the edge of the observable universe is about 46.5 billion light-years. This is an almost unimaginable distance and goes far beyond the Kármán line.

Furthermore, the concept of "height" becomes somewhat irrelevant when discussing the vastness of the universe. The universe is constantly expanding, and there is no specific point that can be considered the "top" or "bottom." Instead, we can think of the universe as a three-dimensional space without any defined boundaries.

In conclusion, the height of space can vary depending on the context in which it is being discussed. While the Kármán line is commonly used as a marker for the beginning of space, the vastness of the universe goes far beyond this point. As scientists, we continue to explore and discover more about the complexities of space, but there is still much that we do not fully understand.