I’ve always wondered about this.?

Question

I’ve always wondered about this.

If the Earth were actually:
1) closer to the sun by one diameter (one of Earth’s diameter),
2) farther away from the sun by one diameter (one of Earth’s diameter),

How would things be different on this planet?

Answer 1

Not much different at all, in fact, it's much closer and further away already.

Remember that orbits aren't perfect circles, for example during the northern hemisphere winter we're closer to the sun than northern hemisphere summer.

Astronomers consider the area of space just beyond Venus and just before Mars an area suitable for human life (assuming a planet with 3 stages of liquid and oxygen). Pretty stiff requirements, but possible given the countless billions of chances.

Answer 2

The distance you propose would still keep the planet in the habital zone, so we don't have to worry about the planet becoming inhabital.

Temp. change would be minimal as the distance being proposed would move our planet plus (+) or minus (-) approx .5 Astronomical Units (AU) from the sun.

Time change would be minimal, although the Earth year will be come slightly altered. A shorter year moving the planet closer and a longer year moving the planet away.

Does your movement of the earth take our Moon with it, or does the Moon stay in the same position relative to the Earths current location?

I only ask this because if the moon does not move accordingly when you move the Earth, then tides will be effected. Also, if you move the Earth away from the sun by half a diameter it may produce a "close encounter" with our moon. I wouldn't like to imagine an collision of that kind.

Answer 3

First of all, the elliptical orbit of Earth around Sun is precisely determined by the parameters defining the gravitational force which in turn depends on masses of Earth and Sun and distance between them. In other words it settles in an orbit when dynamic balance is established when gravitational force,centrifugal forces,inertial forces. So much for changing the distance. Assuming hypothetically that Earth came nearer to Sun by one dia(8000miles) this would not appreciably change many aspects drastically considering that the actual distance is 93 million miles. All the same if it is nearer the time period will decrease slightly. One year would then be 350 days,say, instead of 365.25 days. Temperatures may increase a vee bit. The results would be similar if Earth went farther away resulting in increase in time period and temp dropping a bit.

Answer 4

Well, there wouldn't be much of an immediate change, since the difference is so tiny compared to the distance between here and the sun.

But over the 4 billion years since the earth was formed, I'd imagine there would be quite a change. Would we be looking at an ice age, or a Mars-like state? Would a slightly closer orbit cause a runaway greenhouse effect like on Venus, or would we just have worldwide tropics? I don't really know.

Answer 5

The Earth varies in its distance to the Sun by 3.4 million miles each year. So, from the average 93 million miles orbit it is in, moving the Earth in or out by just under 8,000 miles (the diameter) is not going to make much of a difference.

More dramatic changes are likely should the Earth's 23.5 deg inclination with the Sun be altered...even slightly. For example, if our Moon were impacted with a killer asteroid, so as to alter its mass and/or orbit, that could very well change Earth's inclination and, as a consequence, its climates.

Answer 6

The year would be slightly shorter (closer to sun) or longer... not much else since the Earth's diameter is very small relative to the Sun-Earth distance.

Earth diameter: 7926 miles

Earth-Sun distance: 92,955,820 miles (on average)

Aloha

Answer 7

one diameter might make a big difference considering the orbit
it might result in the earth crashing into mars at some point of time
just my assumption

Answer 8

Consider this - between noon and midnight, you are one diameter farther from the sun.

Answer 9

I don't believe there would be any difference at all. One planet diameter is not a large difference.

Answer 10

A distance of this magnitude would be insignificant - it's only 0.009% of our orbital distance. For comparison, consider that the eccentricity of our orbit makes the distance to the sun vary by about three million miles over the course of a year.