How fast is Earth traveling through space? That depends. | Michelle Thaller | Big Think
Big Think・7 minutes read
The Sun orbits the center of the Milky Way galaxy at 560,000 miles per hour, while galaxies in the universe are moving apart with the Hubble Constant at 75 kilometers per second per megaparsec. Celestial bodies like Andromeda are approaching each other, showing the complexity of motion in the expanding universe.
Insights
- The Sun orbits the Milky Way every 230 million years at 560,000 miles per hour, while the universe expands at 75 kilometers per second per megaparsec, causing galaxies to move away from each other faster the farther they are.
- The Milky Way, part of the Laniakea Supercluster, is heading towards the Great Attractor at over 1.5 million miles per hour, with Andromeda approaching at 300,000 miles per hour, demonstrating the intricate and dynamic motion of celestial bodies in the universe.
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Recent questions
How fast does the Sun move around the Milky Way?
The Sun moves at 560,000 miles per hour.
What is the Hubble Constant and its significance?
The Hubble Constant is about 75 kilometers per second per megaparsec, indicating the rate at which the universe is expanding.
What is the Great Attractor and its impact on the Milky Way?
The Great Attractor is a supercluster of galaxies towards which the Milky Way is moving at over one and a half million miles per hour.
What is the fate of the Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies?
The Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies will collide in a couple billion years.
Why is determining the exact speed of celestial bodies challenging?
The complexity of motion in the universe involves multiple factors such as the Sun's orbit, the expansion of the universe, and the movement towards the Great Attractor.
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Summary
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Celestial Motion: Speeds and Distances in Space
- The Sun orbits around the center of the Milky Way galaxy, which is about 30,000 light years away, completing an orbit every 230 million years, moving at 560,000 miles per hour.
- The universe is expanding, with galaxies standing still but space between them increasing. The Hubble Constant is about 75 kilometers per second per megaparsec, with galaxies appearing to recede faster the farther they are.
- The Milky Way is part of larger clusters of galaxies, some bound by gravity, like Andromeda, which is approaching the Milky Way at 300,000 miles per hour and will collide in a couple billion years.
- The Milky Way is moving towards the Great Attractor, a supercluster of galaxies, at over one and a half million miles per hour, known as the Laniakea Supercluster, containing over 100,000 galaxies.
- The complexity of motion in the universe involves the Sun moving around the galaxy, towards the Great Attractor, and the expansion of the universe, making it challenging to determine an exact speed of movement.
- The intricate nature of celestial motion showcases the vast speeds and distances involved, highlighting the complexity of understanding the movement of celestial bodies in the universe.
