Earth


EarthThe Earth is the third planet in order of distance from the Sun and the fifth one for dimensions.

Seen from the space, the Earth appears as an ultramarine blue sphere, wound by thin discontinuous strips and white vortexes. Partly hidden from the clouds, the continents appear as orange areas, with reddish tones.

The Earth has an atmosphere constituted essentially by nitrogen (78,08%), oxygen (20,95%), argon (0,93%) and carbonic dioxide (0,03%), with traces of other gases. The average temperature at the surface, around 22°C, allows water to persist broadly in the liquid state: about three quarters of the planet's surface is covered by waters, that constitute the hydrosphere.

The Earth has a magnetic field, whose axis is slightly inclined in comparison with that of rotation: its influence is variously extended in the space (magnetosphere), for around 60.000 km in the direction of the Sun and 250.000 in that opposite.

Around the Earth only a natural satellite rotates: the Moon.

A peculiar characteristic of the planet Earth is the presence and the evolution of the life.

Average distance
from the Sun
149.600.000 km
Longest distance
from the Sun
152.100.000 km
Shortest distance
from the Sun
147.100.000 km
Period of revolution365,26 days
Period of rotation23 hours, 56' 4''
Average
orbital velocity
29,8 km/s
Inclination of the axis23° 27'
Inclination of the orbit
compared to the ecliptic
Eccentricity
of the orbit
0,017
Equatorial ray6.378 km
Deflection0,0034
Mass5,97 x 10^24 kg
Density5,52 kg/dm³
Albedo0,39


Earth's satellites

NameAverage
distance (km)
Ray
(km)
Sidereal
revolution
Synodical
revolution
Moon384.4001.73827 dd, 7 hours, 43' 11,5''29 dd, 12 hours, 44' 2,8''


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