The earth has a new neighbor

Which is the to earth, the Planet? On one of these two celestial bodies, most people will tap: Venus or Mars. The earth revolves, finally, on its orbit around the sun between the ellipse-shaped orbits of these two planets. The Venus circulates a little closer to the sun, the Mars. Either with a dictionary or two clicks of the mouse, you can quickly explain who the earth comes closest: It is the Venus.

now, However, astronomers have calculated that in the journal Physics Today that you should see the thing quite differently. The question after the closest approach to the earth planet depends on the Definition of "vicinity": Is actually the Planet, which the earth sometimes, and the next? The astronomers argue that it should go to the planet, its average distance to earth is at its shortest. The Planet, we need to point people to the most of the days, when it comes, which is the Planet is just the next. Seen in this way, the answer is astonishing: The to earth, the Planet is mercury. Yes, mercury, the obscure dwarf orbiting inside the solar system to our Central star, so close, that lead would melt on him, and the gravity of the sun tears it almost.

Venus is much more often on the other side of the sun

the Can? Now, a little bit of it is reminiscent of the question about the highest mountain in the world. Clearly, the Mount Everest, many will say. But here, too, everything depends on how you define "height". The Everest is from sea level to the highest point of the earth is measured. The height difference between the foot and the summit, regardless of whether the foot is under water, the 10'200-Meter-high slope of Mauna Kea surpasses in Hawaii, the colossus in the Himalayas. And it defines height as the distance of the summit from the centre of the earth, so suddenly, the top of Chimborazo in Ecuador is the record holder. The latter is due to the fact that the earth is not a sphere, but because of their Rotation around the Equator is thicker than in higher Latitudes.

For our solar system, astronomers have calculated that Mars as well as Venus and all other planets are away most of the time, more of the earth than mercury. Its average distance from us is approximately the distance to the sun, 150 million kilometers. Venus comes close to earth occasionally to 42 million kilometers, but much more often it is on the other side of the sun. Your average distance to us is a stately 170 million kilometers, more than the average distance to mercury. The same applies to the Mars.

not treat the matter only in theory, the astronomers, a Computer the actual positions of all the planets during the past 10'000 years to chew through. It was confirmed that mercury is only of an average to earth Planet, but also all the other planets of the solar system is closest to Neptune. Let's give him a welcome, of, mercury, so far overlooked, but, basically, most loyal and closest neighbours of the earth. (Editorial Tamedia)

Created: 16.03.2019, at 17:08