Outer space is very big, mostly unknown, and most probably infinite. This is why in fiction, space is often associated with evoking feelings of hope, wonder, existentialism, and awe.

Characters might be seen looking at the night sky and wondering just what lies in space, or feeling reassured that their problems aren't so significant compared to infinity, or awed that they are so small compared to the size of space. Sometimes characters might talk about how everyone is made of "stardust", since the Big Bang was an explosion in space.