Why is space dark even though there are so many bright stars?

Answer: The universe is not old enough for all starlight to reach us

The universe is not old enough for all starlight to reach us ✓ — The universe is about 13.8 billion years old, and light travels at a finite speed. So we can only see light that has had time to reach us since the Big Bang. Stars beyond a certain distance are invisible to us, which means the sky isn't filled with light from every direction. This is why space appears dark despite the countless stars.

Dark matter absorbs most of the starlight — Dark matter doesn't absorb light; it only interacts gravitationally. So it can't block starlight. The darkness is due to the universe's finite age, not dark matter.

Stars are too far apart for their light to fill space — Stars are indeed far apart, but that alone doesn't explain the darkness. Even with vast distances, if the universe were infinite and eternal, every line of sight would eventually hit a star, making the night sky bright. The finite age of the universe is the key reason we don't see light from all stars.