Space

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Really big." Everything that is or was is contained within the limitless confines of our universe (maybe). Let Infoplease be the first step in your exploration of the cosmos." /> <meta name="referrer" content="no-referrer" /> <meta property="og:site_name" content="InfoPlease" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://www.infoplease.com/math-science/space" /> <meta property="og:title" content="Space" /> <meta property="og:description" content="As author Douglas Adams wisely observed, "Space is big. Really big." Everything that is or was is contained within the limitless confines of our universe (maybe). Let Infoplease be the first step in your exploration of the cosmos." /> <meta property="og:image" content="https://www.infoplease.com/themes/ip/images/og_logo_pos.jpg" /> <meta property="og:updated_time" content="2017-03-01T02:41:18-05:00" /> <meta name="Generator" content="Drupal 10 (https://www.drupal.org)" /> <meta name="MobileOptimized" content="width" /> <meta name="HandheldFriendly" content="true" /> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0" /> <style>div#sliding-popup, div#sliding-popup .eu-cookie-withdraw-banner, .eu-cookie-withdraw-tab {background: #0779bf} div#sliding-popup.eu-cookie-withdraw-wrapper { background: transparent; } #sliding-popup h1, #sliding-popup h2, #sliding-popup h3, #sliding-popup p, #sliding-popup label, #sliding-popup div, .eu-cookie-compliance-more-button, .eu-cookie-compliance-secondary-button, .eu-cookie-withdraw-tab { color: #ffffff;} .eu-cookie-withdraw-tab { border-color: #ffffff;}</style> <script type="application/ld+json">{ "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Article", "headline": "Space", "name": "Space", "description": "As author Douglas Adams wisely observed, \u0022Space is big. Really big.\u0022 Everything that is or was is contained within the limitless confines of our universe (maybe). Let Infoplease be the first step in your exploration of the cosmos.", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "representativeOfPage": "True", "url": "https://www.infoplease.com/themes/ip/logo.png", "width": "2582", "height": "1722" }, "datePublished": "2017-03-01T02:41:18-0500", "dateModified": "2022-03-24T16:48:12-0400", "author": { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://www.infoplease.com", "name": "Infoplease" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://www.infoplease.com", "name": "Infoplease", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://www.infoplease.com/themes/ip/logo.png", "width": "280", "height": "100" } }, "mainEntityOfPage": "https://www.infoplease.com/math-science/space", "articleBody": "CiteOn clear nights, you can see the trail of the Milky Way\u0027s spiral arms. Earth is located in the Orion Spur. As author Douglas Adams wisely observed, \u0022Space is big. Really big.\u0022 Everything that is or was is contained within the limitless confines of our universe (maybe). Although it all seems so very far away, the observations we make of other planets and solar systems help us understand our own. In ancient times we used the stars to navigate. Today we discuss the possibilities of space exploration. Let Infoplease be the first step in your own exploration of the cosmos.Astronomical MeasurementsAs mentioned above, space is quite large. So large, in fact, that astronomers need their own special scales of measurement to describe it. What\u0027s a parsec? What\u0027s an astronomical unit? Understanding these terms and their context is a good way to improve your appreciation for the universe.Space ExplorationIn the last hundred years, humans have begun to expand beyond our tiny corner of space. We use planetary satellites to enable worldwide communication. We use advanced modules to map out the farthest visible corners of the universe. Perhaps most significantly of all, we\u0027ve sent humans out beyond the confines of the Earth. Learn more about the history of space flight and about how we continue to explore the final frontier.The Solar SystemEvery journey has to start at the beginning. For us that\u0027s our solar system—or more formally, the Solar System. Centered around our sun (the Sun), the Solar System comprises our nearest neighbors. You\u0027ve heard their names before, but how much do you know about the residents of our stellar backyard?The UniverseWhy the universe came into being is a question for philosophers as much as it is for astronomers. There might never be a definitive answer to that question. But we do know lots of interesting stuff about everything that\u0027s happened since. From the Big Bang—the explosive event that caused the formation of the stars and the ever-accelerating expansion of our universe—through to the proposed heat death of the universe, learn more about the marvels of space." }, { "@type": "WebPage", "breadcrumb": "Yes" } ] }</script> <link rel="icon" href="/themes/ip/favicon.ico" type="image/vnd.microsoft.icon" /> <link rel="canonical" href="https://www.infoplease.com/math-science/space" /> <script>(function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];var j=d.createElement(s);var dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl+'';j.async=true;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-NBS6K3');</script> <meta name="robots" content="max-image-preview:large" /> <title>Space</title> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" 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data-element-type="we-mega-menu-col" data-width="12" data-hidewhencollapse="0"> <ul class="nav nav-tabs subul"> <li class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="2" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" data-id="c4049b03-08d3-4f01-afb6-c07cb304fef6" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="0"> <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/us" target=""> U.S. Overview </a> </li><li class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="2" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" data-id="11f654b6-17f6-40df-854c-fe1296ea413b" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="0"> <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/us/cities" target=""> Cities </a> </li><li class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="2" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" data-id="927a27e3-bbed-4715-8212-18b1584a403e" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="0"> <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/primary-sources/government" target=""> U.S. Documents </a> </li><li class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="2" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" data-id="af8b257b-83f4-4e60-b30b-36c08a23975b" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="0"> <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/us/gender-sexuality" target=""> Gender Issues </a> </li><li class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="2" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" data-id="0dcfb035-3eda-4f29-816b-466870f8a7bb" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="0"> <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/geography" target=""> Geography </a> </li><li class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="2" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" data-id="9a41a5fe-7153-4201-a22a-4837e354487d" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="0"> <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/us/government" target=""> Government </a> </li><li class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="2" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" data-id="23258840-bc85-4fb0-bb88-ce0239aa0e1f" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="0"> <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/current-events" target=""> News </a> </li><li class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="2" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" data-id="faecca9a-42a4-49c4-a466-504b1b1d757a" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="0"> <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/us/military" target=""> Military </a> </li><li class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="2" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" data-id="b7a741f7-ccd0-45db-9d5d-e0311755e640" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="0"> <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/history-and-government/us-historical-monuments" target=""> Monuments & Landmarks </a> </li><li class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="2" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" data-id="a1522757-57d9-4011-8954-cf72e71a576e" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="0"> <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/us/postal-information" target=""> Postal Information </a> </li><li class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="2" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" data-id="b0f03f17-f878-43df-b447-b46b5450ed4a" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="0"> <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/us/race" target=""> Race & Ethnicity </a> </li><li class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="2" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" data-id="7681b583-1195-42e1-a3ce-91f80e657ed5" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="0"> <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/us/states" target=""> States </a> </li><li class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="2" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" data-id="59e82755-eb02-450d-81cf-dd9e5d00fd6f" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="0"> <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/us/us-statistics" target=""> Statistics </a> </li><li class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="2" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" data-id="78a597de-29f1-4bc8-b0a7-6ed1c8e90bf2" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="0"> <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/culture-entertainment" target=""> Arts & Entertainment </a> </li><li class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="2" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" data-id="859fbbf0-ed65-484c-87d9-1ef9013fdeb0" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="0"> <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/culture-entertainment/sports" target=""> Sports </a> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> </li><li class="we-mega-menu-li dropdown-menu we-mega-menu-group" data-level="1" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" data-id="e1bc4f50-e073-4d69-b307-abd57db40de1" data-submenu="1" hide-sub-when-collapse="0" data-group="1"> <span data-drupal-link-system-path="<front>" class="we-megamenu-nolink">History<i class="arrow down"></i></span> <div class="we-mega-menu-submenu" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-submenu"> <div class="we-mega-menu-submenu-inner"> <div class="we-mega-menu-row" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-row" data-custom-row="0"> <div class="we-mega-menu-col span12" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-col" data-width="12" data-hidewhencollapse="0"> <ul class="nav nav-tabs subul"> <li class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="2" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" data-id="4b93647c-84fc-4a69-99c9-a421fd7559b4" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="0"> <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/history" target=""> History Overview </a> </li><li class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="2" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" data-id="c56361ab-8d10-4c0c-83c7-251a5eb04a38" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="0"> <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/timeline-archive" target=""> Timelines </a> </li><li class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="2" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" data-id="f6bdbafb-edc7-4fe9-b578-9cca0babbf51" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="0"> <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/history/world" target=""> World History </a> </li><li class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="2" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" data-id="7e9ce0c4-b34d-4021-a9a1-51b6f26f2a3f" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="0"> <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/history/us" target=""> U.S. History </a> </li><li class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="2" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" data-id="4ad2a1d4-8110-45ff-864f-61a7e677915c" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="0"> <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/history/black-history" target=""> Black History Month </a> </li><li class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="2" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" data-id="dbbab138-8121-4d5a-a022-8a8af6ff3073" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="0"> <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/history/hispanic-heritage" target=""> Hispanic Heritage Month </a> </li><li class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="2" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" data-id="9646478f-f2ce-49e5-b90d-a26bc85f39d1" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="0"> <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/history/womens-history" target=""> Women's History Month </a> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> </li> </ul> </div> <div class="we-mega-menu-col span3" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-col" data-width="3" data-blocktitle="1" data-hidewhencollapse="0"> <ul class="nav nav-tabs subul"> <li class="we-mega-menu-li dropdown-menu we-mega-menu-group active active-trail" data-level="1" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" data-id="823c9906-9f40-4c10-8bb9-57da2519a641" data-submenu="1" hide-sub-when-collapse="0" data-group="1"> <span data-drupal-link-system-path="<front>" class="we-megamenu-nolink">Math & Science<i class="arrow down"></i></span> <div class="we-mega-menu-submenu" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-submenu"> <div class="we-mega-menu-submenu-inner"> <div class="we-mega-menu-row" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-row" data-custom-row="0"> <div class="we-mega-menu-col span12" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-col" data-width="12" data-hidewhencollapse="0"> <ul class="nav nav-tabs subul"> <li class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="2" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" data-id="ad31b703-5dfd-4ea0-bea2-52aff8db39cc" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="0"> <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/math-science" target=""> Math & Science Overview </a> </li><li class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="2" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" data-id="a924bf45-ec7b-4870-97a9-fc046d125d37" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="0"> <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/math-science/aviation" target=""> Aviation </a> </li><li class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="2" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" data-id="0b4e7ad8-b50a-469c-934a-2f3e129fe476" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="0"> <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/math-science/biology" target=""> Biology </a> </li><li class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="2" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" data-id="5d21d31e-4f9b-4610-8779-69692b65c49d" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="0"> <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/math-science/computers-internet" target=""> Computers & Internet </a> </li><li class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="2" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" data-id="789f214d-109b-4b6a-8084-75bbc0aa448d" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="0"> <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/math-science/earth-environment" target=""> Earth & Environment </a> </li><li class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="2" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" data-id="f5853629-653e-45e3-a782-57b0a357fb31" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="0"> <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/math-science/health" target=""> Health </a> </li><li class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="2" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" data-id="e906c067-e474-4ac3-b6fa-d158707529fd" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="0"> <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/math-science/inventions-discoveries" target=""> Inventions & Discoveries </a> </li><li class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="2" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" data-id="1616d2b9-7d57-4980-9559-5bdc425e5e61" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="0"> <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/math-science/mathematics" target=""> Mathematics </a> </li><li class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="2" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" data-id="f306cda5-cdc9-476e-9d51-4e64af61e583" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="0"> <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/math-science/physics" target=""> Physics </a> </li><li class="we-mega-menu-li active active-trail" data-level="2" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" data-id="37a433fe-ab89-4d18-b369-3ea72e8ad9fc" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="0"> <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/math-science/space" target=""> Space </a> </li><li class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="2" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" data-id="92382932-5ad4-4351-832a-94d653aa683c" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="0"> <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/math-science/weather" target=""> Weather </a> </li><li class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="2" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" data-id="7aad6b27-5acb-4bac-8acf-be91c836bbb8" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="0"> <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/math-science/weights-measures" target=""> Weights & Measures </a> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> </li><li class="we-mega-menu-li dropdown-menu we-mega-menu-group" data-level="1" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" data-id="29a78c62-ce20-4f1e-bb70-da47b92141ae" data-submenu="1" hide-sub-when-collapse="0" data-group="1"> <span data-drupal-link-system-path="<front>" class="we-megamenu-nolink">Calendar & Holidays<i class="arrow down"></i></span> <div class="we-mega-menu-submenu" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-submenu"> <div class="we-mega-menu-submenu-inner"> <div class="we-mega-menu-row" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-row" data-custom-row="0"> <div class="we-mega-menu-col span12" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-col" data-width="12" data-hidewhencollapse="0"> <ul class="nav nav-tabs subul"> <li class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="2" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" data-id="7ebfbf4a-de2b-460b-930f-1928372833d7" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="0"> <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/calendars" target=""> Calendar & Holidays Overview </a> </li><li class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="2" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" data-id="4411d1bf-0883-4267-8759-11614e0f285f" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="0"> <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/calendars/history" target=""> Calendars </a> </li><li class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="2" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" data-id="d76efcb5-a742-4b6a-b14d-217d6d76e9ca" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="0"> <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/culture-entertainment/holidays" target=""> Holidays </a> </li><li class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="2" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" data-id="56cc31b3-222b-448a-bf5c-bd325334323d" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="0"> <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/calendars/months-seasons" target=""> Seasons, Months, Days </a> </li><li class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="2" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" data-id="fe1989d7-ce71-4b13-9848-4f86e931467e" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="0"> <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/calendar" target=""> Perpetual Calendar </a> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> </li> </ul> </div> <div class="we-mega-menu-col span3" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-col" data-width="3" data-blocktitle="1" data-hidewhencollapse="0"> <ul class="nav nav-tabs subul"> <li class="we-mega-menu-li dropdown-menu we-mega-menu-group" data-level="1" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" data-id="460bd358-e183-4af6-a30d-8c241e4f3651" data-submenu="1" hide-sub-when-collapse="0" data-group="1"> <span data-drupal-link-system-path="<front>" class="we-megamenu-nolink">Business<i class="arrow down"></i></span> <div class="we-mega-menu-submenu" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-submenu"> <div class="we-mega-menu-submenu-inner"> <div class="we-mega-menu-row" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-row" data-custom-row="0"> <div class="we-mega-menu-col span12" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-col" data-width="12" data-hidewhencollapse="0"> <ul class="nav nav-tabs subul"> <li class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="2" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" data-id="b1311617-2ec4-4bde-804a-719134a89765" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="0"> <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/business-and-finance" target=""> Business Overview </a> </li><li class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="2" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="Business" data-id="9513d3b1-064f-4a95-9e98-a0c9ed4302f3" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="0"> <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="Business" href="/business/business-statistics" target=""> Business </a> </li><li class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="2" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="Consumer Resources" data-id="4feb0c14-5b30-4a3d-8f9d-8d69a49f82ff" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="0"> <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="Consumer Resources" href="/business/consumer-resources" target=""> Consumer Resources </a> </li><li class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="2" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" data-id="757bd3fa-14b6-4466-8e1f-4d6277557bc9" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="0"> <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/business/money" target=""> Currency </a> </li><li class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="2" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="Economy" data-id="afe3b0e4-dbb8-48db-823f-833990412195" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="0"> <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="Economy" href="/business/economy" target=""> Economy </a> </li><li class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="2" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" data-id="d71a21f6-4513-4b0b-85e3-7536e3c8abb1" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="0"> <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/business/labor" target=""> Employment & Labor </a> </li><li class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="2" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="Personal 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</nav> <h1 class="page-title"><span>Space</span> </h1> <section class = "main-section col-sm-12" id="mainaside"> <div data-drupal-messages-fallback class="hidden"></div> <article data-history-node-id="81036">  <div class="addthis_toolbox addthis_default_style" style="float:right;width:auto;height:auto;margin:0 6px 0 0;padding:0;border:1px solid #fff;background-color:#fff;"><a href="/citing-infoplease"><img src="/sites/default/files/i_infopls_com/images/IPcite.gif" style="vertical-align:middle;" />Cite</a></div> <figure role="group" class="align-center"><picture><source srcset="/sites/infoplease.com/files/styles/webp_image/public/inline-images/Astronomy_0.jpg.webp 1x" media="all and (min-width: 0em)" type="image/webp"><img alt="Astronomy" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0c1df8f9-d776-4fa4-aff1-017665135982" src="/sites/infoplease.com/files/inline-images/Astronomy_0.jpg" style="width: 100%;" width="1200" height="600" /></picture><figcaption><em>On clear nights, you can see the trail of the Milky Way's spiral arms. Earth is located in the Orion Spur. </em></figcaption></figure><p>As author <a href="/people/who2-biography/douglas-adams">Douglas Adams</a> wisely observed, "Space is big. Really big." Everything that is or was is contained within the limitless confines of our universe (<a href="/math-science/space/universe/theories-of-the-universe-a-brief-history-of-string-theory">maybe</a>). Although it all seems so very far away, the observations we make of other planets and solar systems help us understand our own. In ancient times we used the stars to navigate. Today we discuss the possibilities of space exploration. Let Infoplease be the first step in your own exploration of the cosmos.</p> <div class="row" style="width: 100%;"> <div class="col-sm-6"> <h3><a href="/math-science/space/measurement">Astronomical Measurements</a></h3> <p>As mentioned above, space is quite large. So large, in fact, that astronomers need their own special scales of measurement to describe it. What's a parsec? What's an astronomical unit? Understanding these terms and their context is a good way to improve your appreciation for the universe.</p> <h3><a href="/math-science/space/exploration">Space Exploration</a></h3> <p>In the last hundred years, humans have begun to expand beyond our tiny corner of space. We use planetary satellites to enable worldwide communication. We use advanced modules to map out the farthest visible corners of the universe. Perhaps most significantly of all, we've sent humans out beyond the confines of the Earth. Learn more about the history of space flight and about how we continue to explore the final frontier.</p> </div> <div class="col-sm-6"> <h3><a href="/math-science/space/solar-system">The Solar System</a></h3> <p>Every journey has to start at the beginning. For us that's our solar system—or more formally, the Solar System. Centered around our sun (the Sun), the Solar System comprises our nearest neighbors. 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