Ralph Hensen, age 11, of Peoria, I1

How fast are we moving with the earth?

The earth is moving fast in several directions. It spins around once every 24 hours or so. Standing still on the equator, this spin takes you at a rate of about 1,000 miles an hour. At the poles, you go around only a few feet a day. At Peoria, the earth is whizzing you around at roughly 550 miles an hour.

The earth is also going around the sun. This yearly 600 million mile trip is made at an average speed of 181 miles a second. The whole Solar System is also traveling around with the Galaxy. This trip is made at about 170 miles a second. Dizzy? You don’t even feel it. You are being rushed through these terrific speeds day and night, asleep or awake  running around or standing still. So, you may just as well relax and enjoy it. For besides these there are other more complex movements of the earth going on all the time.