History Main / ExplosionsInSpace

* ''WebComic/TheInexplicableAdventuresOfBob'' has shown space explosions twice so far. The first one was accompanied by the UnSoundEffect [[http://bobadventures.comicgenesis.com/d/20060812.html "SILENT KABOOM!"]] The second one quickly morphed into a [[http://bobadventures.comicgenesis.com/d/20101207.html fireworks display,]] with the onlookers' screams changing to "Oooh! Ahhh!"

A subtrope of SpaceDoesNotWorkThatWay.

* ''Fanfic/RocketshipVoyager''. During the climatic battle against the Psiborg Collective inside a decompressed cargo bay, one of the SpaceMarines is eager to NukeEm, but it's pointed out that a) the lack of air reduces the effectiveness of nukes with no blast wave, and b) Voyager is surrounded by an electromagnetic field to keep out cosmic radiation, so if you set off a nuke ''inside'' that field it concentrates the radiation there like the Van Allen belt.

* ''Track'' (a 1980's action-adventure series by Jerry Ahern). In "Revenge of the Master" a neo-Nazi bomb maker plans to explode a bomb on board the space shuttle, and gives some thought to how the vacuum will affect the explosion.

[[caption-width-right:350:Complete with a (not present in the original release) PlanarShockwave.]]

[[caption-width-right:350:Complete with a PlanarShockwave.]]

[[caption-width-right:350:Complete with a PlanarShockwave.]

[[caption-width-right:350:Complete with a PlanarShockwave (that wasn't present in the original).]

[[caption-width-right:350:Complete with a PlanarShockwave] (that wasn't present in the original).]

[[caption-width-right:350:Complete with a PlanarShockwave.]]

* ''WebComic/AMiracleOfScience'' is careful to make sure to accurately portray the behaviour of explosions in space ''and'' waste gases from factory smokestacks on the Moon (ItMakesSenseInContext, amazingly) that can be seen in the background of one page. Suffice it to say that the comic's creators ''really'' like to ShowTheirWork.

* In the 1940's ''Venus Equilateral'' tales by George O. Smith, the eponymous SpaceStation is being threatened by a SpacePirate. Various means of defense are considered including [[SpaceIsAnOcean torpedoes]]. However it's pointed out that explosives would have little effect in a vacuum as there is no atmosphere to create a pressure wave.

Many Hollywood ExplosionsInSpace will also include a PlanarShockwave.

*** IIRC, the shockwave was actually the outer layer of matter from the star blowing off - much like a supernova - and its density was such that, at the distances involved, it was sufficient to at least scour the planet clean if not obliterate it.

* In ''Series/{{Battlestar Galactica|2003}}'', explosions usually die out quickly and fiery explosions (which are caused by oxygen in the ships that blow up themselves - the reason why Cylon raiders hardly ever blow up but just disintegrate mostly) appear 'smeared' by velocity. Also, nuclear explosions do appear mostly as 'just flashes' as described above, without the trope-ish fireball and/or mushroom clouds. While capital-ship shots were generally silent, smaller fighter craft generally had full sound in space. The creators fully intended for all space battles to be silent, but upon viewing the results, decided it was too unnatural and inserted sound effects.
* Averted in Series/TheExpanse. When a ship is nuked, it breaks apart and vanishes in a bright flash and spherical blue explosion.

* In ''[[Literature/TheShipWho The City Who Fought]]'', a starship whose drive systems are going critical explodes near the protagonists' space station, and the resulting debris field makes venturing outside extremely hazardous for quite a while.

In many cases, this is caused by the method of special effects: actual pyrotechnics in an atmosphere. It should be noted that this is generally considered an [[AcceptableBreaksFromReality Acceptable Break From Reality]] by the majority of the audience.

* Averted in The Expanse. When a ship is nuked, it breaks apart and vanishes in a bright flash and spherical blue explosion.

* ''Anime/SuperDimensionFortressMacross'' was also another big user of the spherical explosions, in or out of space.

* In ''Film/{{Apollo 13}}'', the explosion apparently quite accurately depicted the real life event.

* In ''Series/{{Battlestar Galactica|2003}}'', explosions usually die out quickly and fiery explosions (which are caused by oxygen in the ships that blow up themselves - the reason why Cylon raiders hardly ever blow up but just disintegrate mostly) appear 'smeared' by velocity. Also, nuclear explosions do appear mostly as 'just flashes' as described above, without the trope-ish fireball and/or mushroom clouds. While capital-ship shots were generally silent, smaller fighter craft generally had full sound in space.