Interstellar medium
![The distribution of ionized hydrogen (known by astronomers as H II from old spectroscopic terminology) in the parts of the Galactic interstellar medium visible from the Earth's northern hemisphere as observed with the Wisconsin Hα Mapper (Haffner et al. 2003).](/Images/godic/202501/20/WHAM_survey4553.png")
![](/Images/godic/202501/20/LH_954553.jpg")
![Voyager 1 is the first artificial object to reach the ISM](/Images/godic/202501/20/Voyager4554.jpg")
![Three-dimensional structure in Pillars of Creation.[4]](/Images/godic/202501/20/Three-dim-pillars-creation4554.jpg")
In astronomy, the interstellar medium (ISM) is the matter that exists in the space between the star systems in a galaxy. This matter includes gas in ionic, atomic, and molecular form, as well as dust and cosmic rays. It fills interstellar space and blends smoothly into the surrounding intergalactic space. The energy that occupies the same volume, in the form of electromagnetic radiation, is the interstellar radiation field.