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APOD: Fire in Space (2021 Aug 10)
Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2021 4:05 am
by APOD Robot
Fire in Space
Explanation: What does fire look like in space? In the
gravity on Earth, heated air rises and expands, causing flames to be
teardrop shaped. In the
microgravity of the
air-filled International Space Station (
ISS), however,
flames are spheres. Fire is the rapid acquisition of oxygen, and
space flames meet new
oxygen molecules when they float by randomly from all directions -- creating the enveloping sphere. In the
featured image taken in the
ISS's Combustion Integration Rack, a
spherical flame envelopes clusters of hot glowing
soot. Without oxygen, say in the
vacuum of empty space, a
fire would go out immediately. The many chemical reactions involved with
fire are complex, and
testing them in microgravity is
helping humanity not only to better understand fire -- but how to put out
fire, too.
Re: APOD: Fire in Space (2021 Aug 10)
Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2021 10:00 am
by Eclectic Man
There is an interesting article in New Scientist online concerning the shape of flames in zero or micro gravity environments:
https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg ... -on-earth/
Re: APOD: Fire in Space (2021 Aug 10)
Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2021 11:20 am
by Tszabeau
Looks like what I’d imagine a cluster of black holes might look like.
Re: APOD: Fire in Space (2021 Aug 10)
Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2021 12:36 pm
by orin stepanek
Cool; the way fire burns in micro gravity! Cool flames are neat!
Try this while exercising
Re: APOD: Fire in Space (2021 Aug 10)
Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2021 2:18 pm
by johnnydeep
How big is that ball of flame? The "featured image" link didn't say. I'd guess less than an inch in diameter.
Also - see Chris, the ISS
is still used to perform valuable experiments to help humanity!
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
Re: APOD: Fire in Space (2021 Aug 10)
Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2021 4:44 pm
by ta152h0
So having a BBQ in space is not possible? pass the ice cold one
Re: APOD: Fire in Space (2021 Aug 10)
Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2021 5:52 pm
by neufer
Click to play embedded YouTube video.
Click to play embedded YouTube video.