The properties of interstellar matter at the Sun are regulated by our location with respect to a void in the local matter distribution, known as the Local Bubble. The Local Bubble (LB) is bounded by associations of massive stars and fossil supernovae that have disrupted dense interstellar matter (ISM), driving low density intermediate velocity ISM into the void. The Sun appears to be located in...

This article reviews the current knowledge and understanding of the interstellar medium of our galaxy. The author first presents each of the three basic constituents—ordinary matter, cosmic rays, and magnetic fields—of the interstellar medium, with emphasis on their physical and chemical properties as inferred from a broad range of observations. The interaction of these interstellar constituent...

The properties of interstellar matter at the Sun are regulated by our location with respect to a void in the local matter distribution, known as the Local Bubble. The Local Bubble (LB) is bounded by associations of massive stars and fossil supernovae that have disrupted dense interstellar matter (ISM), driving low density intermediate velocity ISM into the void. The Sun appears to be located in...