Name: Bernice F.
Status: other
Grade: other
Location: NV
Country: N/A
Date: N/A
Question:
How fast does the earth move through space --
outward, say, or from the big bang?
This is a question that our high school drama asked since he would
like to include the answer in the dialogue of an original play
that will be performed at our school.
Replies:
The question of "how fast" implies a measurement with respect to
some other object. With respect to the "Big Bang" the speed would be
the expansion of the Universe. Now things get complicated and beyond
my expertise. However, I found a couple of web sites that dig into
the science in more detail, but I do not know how you will be able
to integrate the science into dialog of the play. See:
Vince Calder
The Earth moves at 18.5 miles per second in its orbit around the
Sun, but the Sun is heading toward the center of the galaxy at an
even faster speed, and we circle the center of the galaxy every 220
million years, and our supercluster of galaxies is racing away from
all other superclusters at a still higher velocity. But the first
answer should do.
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