What Is the Darkest Place in the Solar System — and in the Universe?

When you look into the night sky, space can feel like a vast, impenetrable black — but not all regions are equally dark. Some corners of the cosmos are truly darker than others, depending on how we define “darkness.” Here, we’ll explore where darkness reigns, both in our solar system and across the universe.

Darkness in the Solar System: Where Light Barely Returns

One of the darkest known objects in our solar system is comet 19P/Borrelly. Its nucleus — composed of dust and ice — reflects less than 3 percent of sunlight. That makes it remarkably non-reflective according to Guinness World Records, and gives it a deep, inky appearance.

Another source of profound darkness comes from permanently shadowed craters on the Moon, particularly near its poles, and similar shadowed regions on Pluto. These spots can remain in near-total darkness because sunlight never reaches them directly.

Darkness in the Universe: Beyond Mere Absence of Light

When we expand our view beyond the solar system, things get even more intriguing.

Bok Globules: Cosmic “Holes in the Sky”

Dense clouds called Bok globules are among the blackest regions in space. These molecular cores — made of hydrogen, silicates, carbon monoxide, and helium — block nearly all visible light from background stars. One well-studied example is Barnard 68, which sits around 500 light-years from Earth.

Though they are pitch black in visible light, these globules aren’t completely dark when observed in other parts of the electromagnetic spectrum (like infrared).

Far-Flung Regions: Cosmic Void and Background Glow

Some of the darkest patches lie in the outskirts of the universe, far from bright sources of light. According to data from NASA’s New Horizons mission, regions on the edge of the observable universe appear about ten times darker than the sky near Earth.

Despite that oppressive darkness, these regions still carry a faint glow — a kind of background light that permeates all of space.

The Ultimate Darkness: Black Holes

At the extreme end of darkness are black holes. These cosmic monsters trap light behind their event horizons, making them effectively invisible.

Interestingly, physicists note that inside a black hole, things may become intensely bright due to extreme energy — but that light can never escape.

Why True “Perfect” Darkness Is Rare

• Albedo Matters: Many objects in space absorb some light, reflect some, and re-emit energy. Absolute blackness — total lack of light — is extremely rare.
• Scattering Dust: Cosmic dust scatters light, creating a glow even in places we perceive as dark.
• Defining “Darkness”: How dark a region seems depends on the wavelength we measure. A place that is black in visible light might still shine in infrared or gamma rays.

Why This Darkness Matters

Understanding these “dark places” is more than poetic — it’s scientifically relevant. Dark regions like Bok globules are sites of star formation, while black holes play a crucial role in galaxy evolution. Even shadowed craters on the Moon or Pluto can tell us about geology and the early solar system.