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You are here: Home / Science / How fast does Earth spin on its axis?

How fast does Earth spin on its axis?

March 7, 2020 by Karen Hill

At the equator, Earth spins at about 1,070 miles per hour.

As you move north or south from there, the speed slows. Exactly at the poles—Earth’s axis points—the spin is much slower. Picture a record spinning.

If you placed a toy at the center, then moved it an inch away from the center, then two inches, etc., the toy would have to travel farther and farther to make one full rotation. Each revolution on Earth, no matter how slow the turn, is equal to one day.

Earth also moves in an orbit. One rotation around the sun, at about 67,000 miles per hour, equals one year on Earth.

But wait, there’s more. Our solar system is spinning around the Milky Way at about 558,000 miles per hour, and the Milky Way is spinning with other clusters of neighboring galaxies at the rate of 666,000 mph. Hold on tight!

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  • Does the Earth's Rotation On its Axis Slow Down Because of Friction With the Atmosphere?
  • Why Does the Earth Tilt 23 Degrees On its Axis and Do Other Planets In the Solar System Tilt?
  • How Does Uranus's Tilt On Its Axis Effect Its Orbit and How Long Does Uranus Take To Orbit the Sun?
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Filed Under: Science

About Karen Hill

Karen Hill is a freelance writer, editor, and columnist. Born in New York, her work has appeared in the Examiner, Yahoo News, Buzzfeed, among others.

Previous Post: « What would happen if the Earth stopped spinning?
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