Let $X$ be a connected hyperbolic 3-manifold (without boundary), $S^3$ the 3-sphere and $Map(X,S^3)$
the space of continuous maps between $X$ and $S^3$.


**Question:** Is the space $Map(X,S^3)$ connected ?


Thanks



the space of continuous maps between 3-manifolds
No, homotopic maps have the same degree, but it's an exercise (common to qualifying exams) to construct maps of any degree from a closed, oriented, connected $n$-manifold X to the $n$-sphere. It is less trivial, and I think due to Hopf, that two maps $f,g: X\rightarrow S^n$ are homotopic if and only if they have the same degree. Hence, the components of this space are labelled by the degree of the mapping.


