How Big Is Earth? Breathtaking Animation Shows The True Scale Of Our Solar System
James O'Donoghue, an astronomer from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) recently shared a brief video on his Twitter that begins with Ceres, a dwarf planet situated 488,306,842 kilometers away from Earth
Do you find yourself wondering how large the universe actually is, and how miniscule we are in the larger scheme of things? If recent feats made in space discovery using telescopes weren't enough, an astronomer's animation that shows the true scale of our solar system might help put things in perspective.
How Big Is Earth? Mind-Blowing Animation Shows The True Scale Of Our Solar System / Credit: @physicsJ/Twitter, NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI Imagery
James O'Donoghue, an astronomer from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) recently shared a brief video on his Twitter that begins with Ceres, a dwarf planet situated 488,306,842 kilometers away from Earth. It then slowly takes us on a journey of our solar system, zooming out on the Sun before closing.
Celestial objects to scale in size, rotation speed and tilt ? pic.twitter.com/KCfjHDABdF
¡ª Dr. James O'Donoghue (@physicsJ) April 26, 2022
Besides showing us a glimpse of how giant some planets in the solar system are, the animation also shows the spinning speed of planets. When the animation zooms past Jupiter, you'll realise how fast the gas giant spins compared to our tiny Earth.
Also read: Saturn Is Currently Eating Its Own Rings, The Standout Feature Of Our Solar System
For perspective, Earth is 12,742 kilometres (7,918 miles) wide. In contrast, Jupiter has a diameter of 139,820 kilometres (86,880 miles).
Watch the animation below:
According to Science Alert, the sizes, tilts, and rotations are all to scale in the video. The positions have been compressed though, for planets have been pushed closer together to generate a short video clip, with a running time of only 45 seconds.
Tigtag
Also read: NASA Has Found 5,000 Exoplanets Beyond Our Solar System: Future Homes For Humans?
What do you think about this jaw-dropping peek into our solar system's planets? Let us know in the comments below. For more in the world of technology and science, keep reading Indiatimes.com.
References
Nield, D. (2022). Astronomer¡¯s Mind-Blowing Animation Shows The True Scale of Our Solar System. ScienceAlert.
I live for all-things-technology - gadgets, novel climate solutions, and startups that are changing the game. In my leisurely hours, you can find me binge watching science fiction films, writing poetry, or dancing to pop anthems.
Read More
