People often wonder which planet in our Solar System is closest to Earth; however, the answer can change over time depending on where each planet sits in its orbital path. On average, Mercury overtakes Venus and Mars as our nearest planet neighbor; however, this order varies significantly over time. Venus Venus, our nearest planetary neighbor,…
Most people mistakenly assume Mercury to be Earth’s closest planet – however this is often not accurate; Venus actually tends to be closer. Our solar system contains eight planets – including Pluto which was recently demoted due to its eccentric orbit. Let’s cover each one in order, starting with Mercury. Mercury Mercury, our closest planet…
As opposed to temperature and rainfall changes that leave their imprint in sedimentary layers, tree rings, or ice cores, clouds have the ability to dissipate quickly – and when this happens, computer simulations indicate that climate tipping points could result in 8 additional degrees of warming globally over the course of one century – this…
Venus, our nearest solar neighbor, lies closest to Earth in terms of distance. Its orbit is nearly circular, keeping Venus close by always. Mercury follows Mars in the planetary lineup. But Jupiter stands out, reaching its closest approach in 59 years this evening and appearing larger than usual at rare planetary opposition as it rises…
Answer to this question varies with the season: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn can be observed through naked eye at various points throughout the year. Careful daily observation will reveal each planet’s orbit around the sky; Mercury and Venus move at an especially rapid pace, while Mars and Jupiter tend to follow behind at…
Whenever asked which planet is closest to Earth, most will answer Venus due to the fact that at their closest points together Venus comes closer than Mars does. However, the order may not be as apparent at first glance due to planetary orbits that are not circular but instead elliptical in shape. Venus Venus, often…
On Monday, Jupiter will pass closer than ever before in 59 years – providing an excellent opportunity for telescopes and binoculars. People often respond that Venus is the closest planet to our home planet; however, according to a new study this assumption is actually incorrect. Venus Answering “What is the closest planet to Earth?” usually…
Venus is often referred to as Earth’s sister planet because they share many similar characteristics such as size and density. Venus can come closer than any other planet in our Solar System to approaching us at its closest point – typically reaching this threshold every 115 months or so. However, recent research indicates that Mercury…
Scientists from Belgium’s University of Liege have announced the discovery of an Earth-like planet orbiting within its star’s habitable zone. It was originally discovered using NASA’s Kepler Space Telescope and later confirmed by ground telescopes. Wolf 1069b offers 16 days of sunshine per year; yet due to certain characteristics it cannot support life. 1. Size…
