Produced by: Tarun Mishra
Over the years, scientists have delved into the fascinating realm of planetary rotation and orbits within our Solar System, uncovering intriguing insights into the varying spin rates and orbital periods of celestial bodies. Let's take a look on how much time planets in our solar system take to complete one spin on its axis as well as time taken by them to complete one orbit around the Sun.
Mercury, the closest planet to the Sun, boasts the shortest rotation period among all planets, completing a full rotation on its axis in 1416 Earth hours. It orbits the Sun in approximately 88 Earth days.
Venus, often referred to as Earth's "sister planet," exhibits an exceptionally slow rotation, with one day on Venus lasting longer than its entire orbit around the Sun, taking approximately 5832 Earth hours. Its orbital period around the Sun is approximately 225 Earth days.
Earth, our home planet, rotates on its axis at a steady pace, completing a full rotation in precisely 24 hours, defining the length of a day as we experience it. It orbits the Sun in about 365.25 days.
Mars, known as the "Red Planet," experiences a rotation period similar to Earth's, with one Martian day, or sol, lasting approximately 24.6 hours. It orbits the Sun in approximately 687 Earth days.
Jupiter, the largest planet in our Solar System, spins on its axis at a remarkable speed, completing a full rotation in just under 10 hours, making it the fastest-spinning planet. It orbits the Sun in about 11.9 Earth years.
Saturn, famous for its majestic rings, rotates at a more leisurely pace compared to its massive size, taking approximately 10.7 hours to complete a single rotation. It orbits the Sun in about 29.5 Earth years.
Uranus, with its peculiar sideways orientation, experiences a rotation period of about 17.2 hours as it orbits the Sun on its tilted axis. It takes approximately 84 Earth years to complete one orbit around the Sun.
Neptune, the farthest known planet in our Solar System, completes a rotation on its axis in approximately 16 hours, contributing to the dynamic atmosphere of this distant world. It orbits the Sun in about 164.8 Earth years.
Although classified as a dwarf planet, Pluto still partakes in rotational motion, with one day on Pluto lasting approximately 153.6 Earth hours. Its orbital period around the Sun is approximately 248 Earth years, showcasing the diversity of rotation periods and orbital paths across celestial bodies.