Outer space, or just
space, is the void that exists between
celestial bodies, including the
Earth. It is not completely empty, but consists of a
hard vacuum containing a low density of particles, predominantly a
plasma of
hydrogen and
helium as well as
electromagnetic radiation,
magnetic fields,
neutrinos,
dust and
cosmic rays. The baseline
temperature, as set by the
background radiation from the
Big Bang, is 2.7
kelvins (K) (-270.45 °C; -454.81 °F). Plasma with a
number density of less than one
hydrogen atom per
cubic metre and a temperature of millions of kelvins in the
space between galaxies accounts for most of the
baryonic (ordinary) matter in outer space; local concentrations have condensed into
stars and
galaxies. In most galaxies, observations provide evidence that 90% of the mass is in an unknown form, called
dark matter, which interacts with other matter through
gravitational but not
electromagnetic forces. Data indicates that the majority of the
mass-energy in the
observable universe is a poorly understood
vacuum energy of space which astronomers label
dark energy. Intergalactic space takes up most of the volume of the
Universe, but even galaxies and
star systems consist almost entirely of empty space.