Debunking major misconceptions about Space

While we understand more about the universe than ever before, there are still plenty of misconceptions about space, which are largely thanks to Hollywood. Some of these misconceptions are actually plausible and have managed to fool many of us. For example, do you think that Mercury is the hottest planet in the solar system because it's the closest to our Sun? And do black holes really suck matter into their cores?

The Moon has a dark side

As the Moon is orbiting Earth, it's also rotating on its axis, so we're always seeing the same side of the Moon.

However, contrary to popular belief, the opposite side isn't dark. It actually gets the same amount of sunlight as the other side.

The Sun is on fire

The Sun is actually a ball of gas. It burns thanks to nuclear fusion, which happens in its core.

The asteroid belt is very dangerous

Sitting between Mars and Jupiter, the asteroid belt contains over 3,000 minor planets and more than 750,000 separate asteroids. The larger asteroids sometimes collide, which has fueled the myth that it's dangerous for any spacecraft to weave its way through.

However, there's no danger because the distance between asteroids is huge. On average, there's a distance of around 600,000 miles (970,000 km) between the asteroids, which is more than twice the distance from the Earth to the Moon.

Black holes are like vacuums

Black holes are actually more like flytraps than vacuums. They're pretty dormant until a star gets too close. That's when they become active, and rip away layers of gas and shred the component atoms.

Stars in constellations are close together

The stars in the night sky are arranged into 88 constellations, which are recognizable groupings that have guided farmers and travelers for thousands of years.

Saturn is the only ringed planet in the solar system

When most people think of planets with rings, there is only one that comes to mind. The gas giant, Saturn, is well known for its seven main rings.

The Sun is yellow

The truth is this yellowness is just an illusion. The Sun produces all wavelengths of visible light and therefore its true color is white. But as sunlight travels through the atmosphere, it changes.

A light-year measures time

A light-year actually measures distance. NASA defines a light-year as "the total distance that a beam of light, moving in a straight line, travels in one year."

Earth's shadow causes lunar phases

Lunar phases are actually the result of the Sun rising and setting over the visible side of the Moon as it orbits Earth.

Stars twinkle

A famous nursery rhyme is responsible for this myth. However, the notion that stars twinkle is only an illusion.

Comet tails indicate which way they're heading

Comets are essentially lumps of dirty ice, which heat up as they approach the Sun. When they do so, they release gas and dust.

Mercury is the hottest planet in the solar system

Many people believe in this misconception because Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun. However, the distance from the Sun has little to do with the average temperature of a planet.

Humans would explode in space without a spacesuit

Human skin is stretchy enough, so it won't lead to an explosion. But after around 10 seconds of exposure, people become unconscious.

The Sun is the only star that has planets

Experts believe that most of the stars in the Milky Way have planets surrounding them. Any planet that's found outside our solar system is known as an exoplanet, and it affects the way a star appears.