The lowest limit that temperature can reach in the universe is considered absolute zero. This indicator is equal to –273.15 degrees Celsius and theoretically represents the state where the particles of matter are maximally motionless. Scientists have been studying conditions close to this limit for many years and have determined that regions where the temperature in the universe almost reaches this limit exist.
Medianews.az reports that the coldest known place to date is considered to be the Boomerang Nebula.
Here, the temperature reaches approximately –272 degrees Celsius. This is just 1.15 degrees higher than absolute zero. The Boomerang Nebula is located in the direction of the Centaurus constellation, about 5,000 light-years from Earth. This object is known as a protoplanetary nebula.
The gas masses here lose their energy because they expand at an extremely rapid rate, resulting in the temperature dropping to a record low. Astronomers evaluate this process as a natural cooling mechanism.
The second coldest places in the universe are ultra-low temperatures created in laboratories on Earth. Using special laser cooling technologies, scientists have been able to cool atoms to temperatures very close to absolute zero.
In some experiments, the temperature has been lowered to –273.14 degrees Celsius. However, this condition can only be maintained for fractions of a second.
The third place is held by the permanently shadowed craters of the Moon. In some regions where sunlight never reaches, the temperature can drop to approximately –233 degrees Celsius.
The fourth place is occupied by the polar regions of the planet Pluto. Here, the temperature fluctuates around –230 degrees Celsius.
The top five are completed by the poles of the planet Mars. In winter on Mars, the temperature can drop to –125 degrees Celsius.
Although many people think that outer space is a completely frozen environment, reality is somewhat different. Since space is a vacuum, heat is mainly transferred by radiation. Objects that do not receive sunlight cool down to about –270 degrees Celsius. Nevertheless, while the sun-facing part of the same spacecraft can heat up to +120 degrees, the shaded part can cool down to –100 degrees.
The lowest temperature recorded on Earth was observed in East Antarctica. In 1983, the temperature there was recorded as –89.2 degrees Celsius. This indicator is considered extremely dangerous for human life. However, the temperature in the Boomerang Nebula is approximately three times lower than the record on Earth.
Scientists show great interest in studying such extremely cold conditions. Because as temperature approaches absolute zero, the behavior of matter changes. For example, liquid helium gains superfluidity at extremely low temperatures and moves almost without friction. In some materials, electrical resistance disappears and superconductivity emerges.
These features are of great importance for the development of quantum computers, the creation of new technologies, and a deeper study of the fundamental laws of the universe. Therefore, cold is considered by scientists not only an interesting natural phenomenon but also one of the important keys leading to future technologies.
According to experts, theoretically, regions colder than the Boomerang Nebula may exist. For example, even lower temperatures may form in some gas clouds in the early stages of expansion. However, such objects have not yet been observed or confirmed.
At the same time, creating an absolute zero temperature completely is considered impossible. According to the laws of physics, reaching this limit is not possible, but it is possible to get very close to it. In modern laboratories, scientists achieve temperatures at the nanokelvin level, thus setting a record for getting very close to absolute zero.//Lent.az