There isn't a single temperature for "space" because space is mostly empty! Here's how temperature works in space:
- Temperature is a measurement of how fast atoms or molecules are moving. The faster they move, the hotter something is considered. In a vacuum, like most of space, there are very few particles to bump into each other, so they move very slowly – which translates to very cold temperatures.
- The average temperature in the vast emptiness of space is around 2.7 Kelvin (about -455 degrees Fahrenheit or -270 degrees Celsius). This is just a couple of degrees above absolute zero, the temperature at which all atomic motion stops.
- However, temperature can vary depending on what you're measuring. For example, an object in direct sunlight, like a spacecraft or a piece of rock floating in space, can get quite hot on the sunlit side. On the shaded side, though, it can reach extremely cold temperatures.
