2006-12-29 01:16:36 · 9 answers · asked by Tim P 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
In orbit around the sun:
Max. orbital speed 30.287 km/s (109,033 km/h)
Average orbital speed 29.783 km/s (107,218 km/h)
Min. orbital speed 29.291 km/s (105,448 km/h)
Don't forget that the earth's orbit is an ellipse not a perfect circle, and Kepler's 2nd Law of Planetary Motion states that a planet sweeps out equal areas in equal time, wherever it is jn its orbit, i.e. it moves fastest when nearest to the sun (at perihelion) but more slowly when at aphelion.
Formally stated: A line joining a planet and its star sweeps out equal areas during equal intervals of time.
In orbit with the sun around the Milky Way in a 200-225,000,000 year orbit: just over seven times as fast: 217 km/s, equivalent to one light-year every 1,400 years, and one AU every 8 days.
2006-12-29 01:36:33 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 1⤋
The Earth orbits the Sun.
The Sun orbits the galactic core of the Milky Way galaxy.
The Milky Way galaxy orbits the centre of mass of our galactic cluster.
Our galactic cluster orbits the centre of mass of the galactic supercluster.
The supercluster is moving through space too, but there is no fixed reference point. Also, when you get to the scale of galactic superclusters the expansion of space itself begins to have a noticeable effect. When you look at the 14,000,000,000-light-year-radius observable universe, the limit is the point where Hubble expansion from our perspective passes the speed of light.
So the motion of Earth depends on your point of reference. It ranges from zero (if Earth itself is your reference frame) to greater than the speed of light (if your reference frame is based very far away).
2006-12-29 09:46:30 · answer #2 · answered by poorcocoboiboi 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The orbital speed for the earth is 29.291km/s. This can be found dividing the orbital path, 924,375,700km by the amount of seconds in a year. (about 31557600seconds/year). The speed also varies when it is closer to the sun (increases speed) and when it is further from the sun (decreases speed).
2006-12-29 11:32:54 · answer #3 · answered by gooeyjim 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well you would get in to all kinds of frames of reference problems trying to fully answer that. The Earth move relative to the Sun, which moves relative to other galaxies and the whole place is expanding.
You might want to tie it down to relative to what since there really aren't any universal fixed points to go by.
2006-12-29 09:24:13 · answer #4 · answered by Alex 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The linear speed of earth in space is around 30000meter/second.
2006-12-29 09:48:56 · answer #5 · answered by ravish2006 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
About 18.5 miles per second (or about 27 km per second)
You get this figure using the speed of Orbit since we can use the Sun as a reference point. Since we are in orbit of the Sun, it is the only measurement that will be acurate.
2006-12-29 09:20:14 · answer #6 · answered by Drew P 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Earth orbits the Sun at about 66,000 MPH.
2006-12-29 09:28:03 · answer #7 · answered by campbelp2002 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The speed differs depending on the distance from the sun.
But seeing as time doesn´t exist in space it doesn´t matter:)
2006-12-29 09:22:35 · answer #8 · answered by Ganymede 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
the earth moves about 65,000 miles per hour
2006-12-29 09:29:25 · answer #9 · answered by fionn hannon 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋