If I am understanding correctly, as our solar system goes through space it makes a bow wake like a ship. This heats up the particles but they are extremely far apart so voyager made it through unharmed: Science article

Quote:While not a hard edge, or a "wall" as it has sometimes been called, here both spacecraft measured temperatures of 30,000-50,000 kelvin (54,000-90,000 degrees Fahrenheit), which is why it is sometimes also referred to as a "wall of fire".  The craft survived the wall as, though the particles they measured were extremely energetic, the chances of collision in this particle-sparse region of space are so low that not enough heat could be transferred to the duo. 

"As the heliosphere plows through interstellar space, a bow shock forms, similar to what forms as a ship plowing through the ocean."

That is fascinating to learn. I wonder if it affords us some extra protection from the violent and harsh environment that we are travelling through?

Extremely fascinating. I’m trying to wrap my head around this, being told that space is cold and empty for the most part.

 The wake of our travel would have been a long time ago and still these particles are extremely hot. Amazing, especially if you think about how far apart they must be to continue retaining their heat and energy.

Thanks for sharing!!


Tecate

(06-13-2025, 07:53 AM)Tecate Wrote: Extremely fascinating. I’m trying to wrap my head around this, being told that space is cold and empty for the most part.

 The wake of our travel would have been a long time ago and still these particles are extremely hot. Amazing, especially if you think about how far apart they must be to continue retaining their heat and energy.

Thanks for sharing!!


Tecate

It is broadly accurate.

Space is mostly a vacuum, meaning very few particles, and extremely low density.

So, because there's so little matter, there's very little to transfer heat.

Temperature in space depends on where you are.

(06-13-2025, 07:29 AM)quintessentone Wrote: That is fascinating to learn. I wonder if it affords us some extra protection from the violent and harsh environment that we are travelling through?

Very much so.

The heliosphere is like a giant protective bubble around the star system, created by the star's solar wind.

And it helps in a few important ways, like blocking and deflecting cosmic rays, and shields us from some of the harsher interstellar particles and radiation.

https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/phenomena/gala...0supernova.
https://www.britannica.com/science/interstellar-medium

(06-13-2025, 10:53 AM)andy06shake Wrote: Very much so.

The heliosphere is like a giant protective bubble around the star system, created by the star's solar wind.

And it helps in a few important ways, like blocking and deflecting cosmic rays, and shields us from some of the harsher interstellar particles and radiation.

https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/phenomena/gala...0supernova.
https://www.britannica.com/science/interstellar-medium

We are very 'lucky' to be so protected in that way, also with Jupiter taking most of the incoming potential strikes. Earth and we probably would not exist today without these protections.

(06-14-2025, 06:34 AM)quintessentone Wrote: We are very 'lucky' to be so protected in that way, also with Jupiter taking most of the incoming potential strikes. Earth and we probably would not exist today without these protections.

How exactly is it lucky? 

It is just how the universe works. It it didn't work that way, there would be no one discussing any of this.

(06-14-2025, 08:44 AM)BeyondKnowledge Wrote: How exactly is it lucky? 

It is just how the universe works. It it didn't work that way, there would be no one discussing any of this.

I look at the cosmos and creation as random organized chaos, that is where I get the 'lucky' from.

(06-13-2025, 07:53 AM)Tecate Wrote: Extremely fascinating. I’m trying to wrap my head around this, being told that space is cold and empty for the most part.

 The wake of our travel would have been a long time ago and still these particles are extremely hot. Amazing, especially if you think about how far apart they must be to continue retaining their heat and energy.

Thanks for sharing!!


Tecate

What do you mean "long time ago"? We are traveling very, very fast right now.

(06-14-2025, 08:45 AM)quintessentone Wrote: I look at the cosmos and creation as random organized chaos, that is where I get the 'lucky' from.

But it is only there to be seen because without it being the way it is, there would be nothing to look at it. 

No luck at all. Ether it is the way it is or nothing would be in its place.