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Q and BA Episode 6: I Am Your Density

Bad Astronomy
By Phil Plait
Mar 12, 2007 5:17 AMNov 5, 2019 6:53 AM

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Space is a vacuum, right? Well, not exactly. It's all pretty empty on a cubic centimeter by cubic centimeter basis, but how empty is it? Find out in this week's episode of Q & BA: I Am Your Density. Viewing options: Watch it right here, right now! Watch it on YouTube. Watch it on Google video. Download it directly from LibSyn. Download the audio only version from LibSyn. Subscribe to AUDIO ONLY VERSION via iTunes. Subscribe to VIDEO VERSION via iTunes.

Show notes

The Question: The question was sent in by Walter L. Williams:

When we talk of the vacuum of space, is it a total vacuum or "pretty much" a vacuum? Could you elaborate, perhaps telling us how much matter might be in say a "liter of space"?

Images and Links The Orion Nebula and Carina cloud images are courtesy of NASA/Hubble/AURA Barnard 68 is from the European Southern Observatory. The marshmallow came from my baking drawer. When I was done, I ate it.

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