Our knowledge of space is similar to our knowledge of history: it can be really difficult to figure out where the real facts are, and where the ones are remembered from the films. And in both cases it often turns out that this knowledge is not just inaccurate, but ridiculously erroneous.
What are the most common misconceptions about space that we have taken away from science fiction films?
No. 6. Asteroid fields are deadly
Remember how Han Solo flees the Empire through an asteroid field in The Empire Strikes Back? Devil's stones fly so tightly that even small Imperial fighters can't get through them without risking being crushed by drifting boulders. After 20 years in Attack of the Clones, Obi-Wan will also have a hard time.
And besides "Star Wars" we see the same asteroid fields in science fiction all the time. But that's why they are asteroid fields, right? As C-3PO would say, your chances of successfully passing the asteroid belt are infinitely close to zero, much like a herd of cows scared to death rushing towards you.
In fact
If you look at pictures of the asteroid belt in our solar system, then it looks exactly like in "Star Wars". There are really a lot of asteroids in it - today the restless astronomers have counted about half a million. But the catch is that the minor planets are kilometers and kilometers of vacuum apart, with an average of one asteroid per 650,000 square kilometers. Therefore, sending their probes to fly through the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, NASA scientists say that the chances of colliding with an asteroid from the device … one in a billion. So Captain Solo could steer his ship even with his left heel, he would still have the same chances of crashing into an asteroid as you have on the way to the nearest supermarket.
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You can, of course, argue that in the galaxy where Star Wars raged for a long time, for some reason, superdense asteroid fields are often found, but still this is basically impossible - over time, asteroids will still dissipate. If the asteroid field at some point had the same density as in "Star Wars", then from constant mutual collisions, the asteroids would quickly scatter in all directions, and the density would decrease.
No. 5. Black holes - orderlies of space
Of all the cosmic horrors, black holes are perhaps the most compelling evidence that the universe hates us. They are invisible, ominous, huge and, like a space vacuum cleaner, suck in everything indiscriminately for light years around.
Because of the latter feature, black holes with enviable consistency appear in every self-respecting space opera: from the last "Star Trek" by JJ Abrams to "Doctor Who". But everywhere and always the black hole appears as a monstrous force, a sucking funnel, from which it is impossible to escape.
In fact
Let's imagine that, waking up in the morning, we found a black hole with a similar mass in place of our sun. What will happen? Simply nothing. No, we, of course, will freeze to death, because the heat source that warms our planet will disappear, and that's all. But the Earth will definitely stay where it is.
Because most people forget that for all their highly publicized power, black holes still have mass. This means that, no matter how frighteningly omnipotent they may seem, the attraction of a black hole, like any other object in our Universe, is limited by the limits that determine its own mass. And if the mass of the black hole is equal to the mass of the Sun, then the force of its attraction will be equal, which means that our planet will continue to peacefully rotate in its orbit.
That's it, even if you are a terrifying black hole, it does not free you from the laws of physics and heartless gravity.
No. 4. The sun is yellow
The color of the Sun is a matter of course, one of those things that we learn in kindergarten. Even in the accepted classifications, our star is listed as a "yellow dwarf". So what could be wrong here?
We are also aware of the color of the nearest space objects, because we have plenty of photographs taken by the same Hubble telescope, near-earth satellites and probes plying through the solar system. It was thanks to them that Hollywood, and behind it the whole world, learned what color the Martian sky or moon stones are.
In fact
The sun is not yellow. The reason why we see it this way is in the earth's atmosphere, which colors the sun's rays yellowish. But do not forget that the temperature of our star is 6000 degrees Kelvin, and in fact it has the only color possible for such a hot object. White. In fact, the sun is even duller than the moon: you can't even see a face on it.
And what about the rest of the bodies of our solar system? After all, we have photographs. We have rovers that photograph the surface of Mars at arm's length!
You will be surprised, but none of the space cameras take color pictures. The color is added later using filters. So it goes.
But just don't think that this is another conspiracy between NASA and the government. Extraterrestrial photography is tricky, and the resulting images do not always represent the most accurate version of the subject. Instead, scientists have to choose color combinations that best suit the goals of the work.
“The colors in the Hubble telescope images are neither right nor wrong,” says Zolt Levey of the Science Institute for Space Observations. “More often than not, these images represent the physical process underlying the subject. They are a way to present as much information as possible in a single image."
So, yes, all of the stunning space photographs that we see year after year are just black and white images, colorized so scientists can more clearly reflect every detail of the image.
Number 3. Hot meteorites
You've seen this in every disaster movie - take the scene from Armageddon, where fiery, smoking meteorites blast New York. And although we know that not every film is built entirely on scientific facts, if a meteorite falls in your yard, you are unlikely to rush to immediately grab it with your hands - it also fell, leaving a trail of fire in half the sky.
In fact
A piece of stone has been flying for billions and billions of years in space, where, by the way, it is cosmically cold - only three degrees above absolute zero. After entering the atmosphere, before hitting the ground, the meteor will have only a few seconds, so great is its speed. And that means, no matter what Michael Bay thinks about it, this piece of stone simply doesn't have time to warm up. Those that do make it to the ground are usually slightly lukewarm.
But where, then, are the balls of fire? Almost everyone has seen the meteor shower - they really are burning. But in fact, the spectacular fireball we observe has almost nothing to do with the meteor itself. This is all for the entire air layer that forms in front of the falling meteor in the atmosphere, it is he who heats up, creating the appearance of a burning ball, but this does not affect the temperature of the celestial body itself.
# 2. People explode in a vacuum
We have seen the scene "A worthless man against the vacuum of space" in the cinema countless times. Films of category “B” clearly demonstrate: the difference between internal and external pressure in outer space at the moment turns a person inside out, you will not have time to blink an eye. We owe the same effect to the unforgettable goggle-eyed Schwarzenegger from the cult Total Recall, and in general, it was all in The Simpsons.
In fact
Everything is shown correctly by Kubrick in "A Space Odyssey", where the astronaut has to take a short walk in space without a helmet. Of course, you won't be able to stay this way too long, because you still need to breathe. But your head without a helmet in a vacuum will definitely not explode.
Because a person still has, albeit small, but protection against the vacuum of space - our skin and circulatory system. The first protects our body so well that it is able to neutralize the effect of instant depressurization. The latter, quickly adapting, continues to do its job, so that our blood will not boil in an airless space, as some think. Even hypothermia is not a problem: although the temperature outside the starship tends to absolute zero, there is not much matter in space that can absorb your body's heat.
In fact, the main threat to a person without a spacesuit in outer space is the air in the lungs. When the external pressure is removed, the volume of gas in your chest will expand, which can lead to lung barotrauma, just like a scuba diver who suddenly pops up from a great depth.
Although all this does not mean that a respirator and swimming trunks are enough to go into space. Without a spacesuit, Outer space will quickly deal with you. Only it will not be as spectacular as shown in the films.
# 1. It's always dark on the far side of the moon
It is generally known that the moon is turned to the sun with only one side. While the first is bathed in the warmth of the sun's rays, the other part of it is doomed to eternal darkness and cold. Not surprisingly, the dark side of the moon in popular culture has become a mysterious and eerie place, equally suitable to hide ancient Transformers technology and to inspire authors of psychedelic music.
In fact
The dark side of the moon does not exist, nor does the dark side of the earth. Yes, indeed, as a result of the mutual rotation of the planets, the moon is always turned towards the Earth and observers on the surface by the same hemisphere. Pay attention: to the Earth. But not to the sun.
So on the dark side of the moon, it's actually dark only at night. Well, and during eclipses. The rest of the time, both sides receive the sunlight equally: the mythical "dark" and "light", the same one with the face that we see.