Kármán line facts for kids
The Kármán line is the altitude where space begins. It is 100 km (about 62 miles) high. It commonly represents the border between the Earth's atmosphere and outer space. This definition is accepted by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI). The FAI is an international standard setting and record-keeping body for aeronautics and astronautics. The line is named after Theodore von Kármán (1881–1963), a Hungarian-American engineer and physicist. He was active in aeronautics and astronautics. He was the first to calculate that around this altitude, the atmosphere becomes too thin to support aeronautical flight. An aircraft at this altitude would have to travel faster than orbital velocity to obtain enough lift to support itself. There is a sudden increase in temperature of the atmosphere and solar radiation just below the line. This places the line within the greater thermosphere.
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Atmospheric gases scatter blue wavelengths of visible light more than other wavelengths, giving the Earth's visible edge a blue halo. The Moon is seen behind the halo. At higher and higher altitudes, the atmosphere becomes so thin that it essentially ceases to exist. Gradually, the atmospheric halo fades into the blackness of space.
See also
In Spanish: Línea de Kármán para niños
