How Fast Are You Moving Through Space
Even though you might be just sitting around absolutely still while reading this article, you are being hurled across space at very high speeds. No, this is not some crazy theory and no, I am not trying to mislead you, it is an actual fact.
We tend to measure speed as distance covered in a fixed amount of time which is just fine but speed is also a very relative term. While we are measuring the speed of a runner, we are measuring it relative to the Earth, the same goes with our other measurements of speed and velocity.
On the scale of the universe, we measure the velocity of different heavenly bodies, galaxies or anything for that matter, relative to other astronomical objects. Therefore, while we measure our velocity relative to Earth, we seldom think about our velocity relative to other astronomical objects of importance to us.
That is the reason why even if you are sitting on the couch, you are moving at a very fast pace across space. This pace can differ according to what your frame of reference is. You do not have one true speed.
At 1,000 miles/hour
Right now, you might be totally stationary sitting on your chair, but you along with everything and everyone else is ‘attached’ to the Earth and so when the Earth rotates on its axis, we move along with it. That’s how we experience day and night.
So, given that the Earth’s circumference is roughly 25,000 miles and it takes 24 hours to complete one rotation, we can say that we are all moving towards the east at 1000 miles an hour (1600 km/hr).
That is also the reason we would all be flung due east at 1000 miles an hour if the Earth suddenly stopped rotating. It’s crazy to think that we move at such a high velocity and yet do not feel it or even think about it, but wait, there’s more!
At 66,000 miles/hour
Along with it’s rotation, the Earth also revolves around the sun which is 150 million kilometres away from us. The full path around the sun is completed in 1 year i.e. 365 days. The distance that the Earth covers in that time is a staggering 600 million miles.
If you do the calculations, that is a hasty 66,000 miles per hour (107,000 km/hr). So, a person on Earth is moving with the Earth around the sun at that speed.
At this speed, you could reach the moon in only 3.6 hours given that it is at a distance of 238,900 miles from us. And yet, we never imagine ourselves moving at such high speeds because our frame of reference is the Earth.
At 483,000 miles/hour
Let’s look at a bigger picture. We revolve around the sun which is only one of a hundred billion stars in our galaxy. Our galaxy, the milky way, is a spiral galaxy which has a super massive black hole at its centre.
All the stars in the galaxy are in an orbit around this centre. Different stars move at a different speed. Our sun, takes 225 million years to complete one orbit around the centre of the galaxy and it does it at the speed of 483,000 miles/hour.
So, we on Earth share this journey around the centre of the galaxy too. Fun fact: since the formation of our sun and the planets, the sun has only made 20 orbits up till now.
At 1.3 million miles/hour
So, now you might be thinking that moving at such high speeds is simply impossible and yet it us quite true. Our galaxy is moving across space at an unimaginable speed.
Up until recently, we were not sure about the frame of reference on such a large scale because when we are talking about speeds of galaxies, there is not fixed frame of reference as every galaxy is moving and nothing is at rest.
But recently scientists suggested that the Cosmic Background radiation, which is a remnant of the Big Bang itself and which fills the entire universe, can be taken as a frame of reference for the speeds of galaxies.
So, they ran the calculations and it turns out, our galaxy, along with everything in it, is moving through space at 1.3 million miles per hour.
So, as you can see, our speed or velocity is dictated by our frame of reference. We might consider ourselves completely still and yet if measured in relation to the various astronomical bodies, we are moving at unimaginable speeds. We seldom think about things on the scale of the universe as we are more concerned with things here on Earth, but it is really an eye opener when you realise the true magnificence of the universe and its workings.
I don't understand how it's possible that most of people on earth believe this unbelievable story.
You and me both buddy.
Because most people have read their science books in school?
And believe all they read if it's officialdom. Experiencially, the theory makes little sense when analysed but don't let that stop us teaching it as fact.
You see ? That is the main problem.
So, what do you suggest actually happens? I genuinely want to know.
We were trained to believe every think what comes from authorities and not to ask questions. From schools, politicians, media, scientists. It was proven again and again in the past that they were wrong. Intentionally and unintentionally, it doesn't matter. We should ask ourselves more questions and not blindly believe everything. I'm not saying that you're wrong and I'm right. Your post is good, but we are all entitled to our opinions. And my advice to everybody here is: do not be fooled by some fancy formulas from mathematicians. Now I'm gonna wait my tail to grow again and I'll gonna climb back on my tree to pick some bananas. Have a great day.
The problem is, even his quoted math based on the model he embraces and expects us to accept as well, is wrong. So how can you think anything else in his statement is true? This would be a poorly graded astronomy essay in any "official" science review.
'Space maybe the final frontier but it's made in a Hollywood basement' - Red Hot Chilli Peppers
I love that song :D
If you're going to promote nonsensical fallacies based on false religious beliefs, at least be consistent with the doctrine of your own priesthood. Since when is the earth 150 million miles away from the sun, assuming I'm supposed to accept your cosmological model? Is there a reference for this fact you so confidently embrace?
oops 150 million km not miles. It's corrected now. (And there is nothing religious about it. It's a scientific fact)
Nice posting again, thank you for sharing. Namaste :)
Thank you for reading :)
The first picture is wrong
It's just for representation purposes.
Been meaning to ask this as I've seen these artifacts cropping up in your all your articles.. (i'm using chrome)
Thanks for telling me this Kevin. I understand what's happening now. It's the fault of my note app on computer. I changed apps recently. I think I'll go back to the previous one.
Thank you! :)
If earth has been flying wildly through space for millions of years -- why do sailors still use the same stars for navigation?
Shouldnt we experience parallax too?
Some guy in a lab coat told me it was true! It must be factual.
Because those stars are not fixed as well.
It's like traffic moving together.
Eventually as the universe expand those stars will be more and more dim, eventually being so far that we cannot see them.
Not in our lifetime, but again its relative.
Are we really moving through space though? Might we not just be riding with space as it expands? Like a surfer on a wave isn't traveling through the water but riding atop.
The expansion certainly has some effect on the position of a galaxy in space, but the galaxies themselves are moving through space as well. In fact, the Milky Way galaxy is moving towards a region in space known as "The Great Attractor" which is a huge concentration of galaxies that has enough gravity to attract nearby galaxies.