uzay

Uzay is the Turkish and Azerbaijani word for space, referring to the expanse beyond Earth's atmosphere, including the solar system and the broader universe. In everyday use, it designates outer space as a physical region studied by science and explored by humanity.

There is no universally fixed boundary to uzay. Regulators often use the Kármán line at 100 kilometers above sea level to separate atmosphere from outer space, while some definitions rely on vacuum conditions or orbital motion. The concept, however defined, marks a transition from a gaseous environment to a near vacuum where objects travel in microgravity.

Uzay is characterized by a near vacuum, extreme temperatures, and radiation from the Sun. Distances are vast, and objects move under the influence of gravity across scales ranging from satellites in Earth orbit to galaxies and beyond. The observable uzay contains a wide variety of objects and phenomena, including planets, stars, galaxies, nebulae, comets, asteroids, interstellar dust, and the more elusive dark matter and dark energy that influence cosmic expansion.

Exploration and technology: Space agencies such as NASA, ESA, Roscosmos, CNSA, JAXA, and ISRO conduct missions using satellites, space probes, telescopes, and crewed spacecraft. Observatories like the Hubble Space Telescope and the James Webb Space Telescope extend our view, while the International Space Station serves as a hub for research in microgravity.

History and culture: Human interest in uzay spans ancient astronomy to modern spaceflight, beginning in the mid-20th century with milestones such as the first artificial satellite in 1957, the first human in space in 1961, and the Moon landing in 1969.

Linguistic note: In Turkish and Azerbaijani, uzay is a general noun for outer space and appears in science fiction and literature.

---