Astronomy
Interstellar Dust: Scattering Light and Polarizing Starlight
Quick fact
Interstellar dust scatters and absorbs light, making stars appear dimmer and redder, and it polarizes starlight by up to a few percent—a phenomenon that helps astronomers map magnetic fields in space.
Why this is interesting
When you look at the night sky, you might think the space between stars is completely empty. But what if it's not? In fact, there is a vast fog of tiny particles that subtly changes the light from every distant star we see.