The Coldest and Hottest Spots in the Universe | From Absolute Zero to the Center of the Stars

The universe is a vast space filled with an incredible variety of temperatures. This cosmic balance sees some regions close to absolute zero (approximately -273.15°C) while others reach millions or even billions of degrees. So where are the coldest and hottest spots in the universe? Let’s take a closer look at these extreme conditions.

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The Coldest Points in the Universe

The coldest regions of the universe are usually found in the void or in places where there is no dense matter. The temperature of the void is very close to absolute zero in the absence of matter. However, the lowest temperatures in the universe have been observed in regions where there is no dense energy.

1. Boomerang Nebula: -272°C

The Boomerang Nebula is known as the coldest natural point in the universe. The nebula is the coldest known region in the universe, with temperatures as low as -272°C , very close to absolute zero. The reason the nebula is so cold is because the rapidly expanding gases are being dispersed into the universe and supercooled in the process.

• Where : The Boomerang Nebula is located about 5,000 light-years from Earth and is located in the constellation Centaurus.

• How Did It Get So Cold?: The nebula is losing energy through its rapidly expanding outward gases, causing the temperature in the region to drop to incredibly low levels.

  
  

2. Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation: -270°C

The cosmic microwave background (CMB), a remnant of the universe's origins, is an indicator of the overall coldness of the universe. This radiation is a remnant of the Big Bang, providing temperatures of around -270°C throughout the universe. This represents a level of coldness that permeates nearly every part of the universe.

• What is it?: The CMB is the remnant of radiation emitted in the universe 380,000 years after the Big Bang. As the universe expanded, this radiation cooled and can only be measured today at the microwave level.

• What Does It Mean?: This cold glow is considered one of the oldest memories of the universe and is of great importance in the study of cosmology.

  
  

The Hottest Spots in the Universe

The hottest regions of the universe are observed at the centers of stars or in the nuclei of galaxies, where they have incredibly high energy. These temperatures can reach billions of degrees, turning matter into plasma.

1. The Core at the Center of Stars: Millions of Degrees

Nuclear fusion processes occur in the centers of stars, and these processes reach extremely high temperatures. While the core temperature of the Sun is 15 million °C , these temperatures can reach up to 100 million °C in the centers of larger stars.

• Sun's Core Temperature : The inner core of the Sun has very high temperatures due to nuclear fusion. Here, hydrogen atoms combine to form helium, releasing a large amount of energy.

• Larger Stars : Stars with a mass much greater than the Sun produce tremendous temperatures in their cores leading up to the supernova explosion. These temperatures can reach trillions of degrees.

  
  

2. Supernova Explosions: Billions of Degrees

Supernova explosions are huge explosions that occur at the end of a star's life cycle. These explosions reach temperatures of billions of degrees . The energy released during a supernova superheats the matter around the star.

• How is it formed?: When stars run out of nuclear fuel, their cores collapse and their outer layers explode. This explosion produces the highest temperatures in the universe.

• How Hot Is It?: The temperature at the center of a supernova can reach millions or billions of degrees. This is hot enough to break matter apart into atoms.

  
  

3. The Big Bang Moment: Trillions of Degrees

At the moment of the Big Bang , which was the beginning of the universe, all matter and energy in the universe was in an extremely dense and hot state. According to scientists' calculations, the temperature during the Big Bang could have been trillions of degrees . This extreme heat combined matter and energy into completely new forms, causing the universe to expand and cool.

Temperature Balance of the Universe

The universe is in a state of equilibrium between these regions endowed with extreme temperatures. The cold, empty space is where the stars and galactic nuclei contain the extreme temperatures. This diverse temperature distribution of the universe reveals the complexity and richness of cosmological phenomena.

Conclusion

The coldest and hottest points in the universe represent the extremes of cosmological processes. The cold seen in the Boomerang Nebula slows down the motion of matter in the universe by pushing the limits of absolute zero, while the temperatures observed in the centers of stars and supernovas show how matter is transformed by extreme energy. These two extremes are extremely important in understanding how the universe operates over a wide range of temperatures.