The universe has been expanding since the Big Bang approximately 13.8 billion years ago. Galaxies are moving away from each other, and distant galaxies are receding faster, a phenomenon observed through redshift.
Light from the Sun takes about 8 minutes and 20 seconds to reach Earth. This means we see the Sun as it was in the past, highlighting the vast distances in space.
Astronomers estimate that there are roughly 100 billion to 400 billion stars in our Milky Way galaxy alone, and potentially more than 2 trillion galaxies in the observable universe.
Black holes are regions in space with gravitational pulls so strong that not even light can escape them. They can only be detected through their interactions with nearby matter, such as stars and gas.
Neutron stars, remnants of supernova explosions, are incredibly dense. A sugar-cube-sized amount of neutron star material would weigh about 6 billion tons, showcasing the extreme conditions of stellar remnants.
The Boomerang Nebula, located about 5,000 light-years from Earth, is the coldest known natural place in the universe, with a temperature of -458 degrees Fahrenheit (-272 degrees Celsius), just a degree above absolute zero.
The Sloan Great Wall is one of the largest known structures in the universe, a vast supercluster of galaxies stretching over 1.37 billion light-years. It challenges our understanding of cosmic structure formation.
Saturn's stunning rings are relatively young, likely formed within the last 100 million years. They are made up of ice and rock particles, with varying sizes, creating a breathtaking celestial display.