Trips To Other Worlds

So let's say we hopped in a brand new 2010 Camaro and drove to another planet. How long would it take us? Below is the approximate amount of time it would take to drive from Earth to each planet at a comfortable 75 MPH. Non stop of course, so you better hit the bathroom before you leave.

Earth to the Moon = 221,331 miles / 75 mph = Almost 123 Days

Earth to Venus = 25 million miles / 75 mph = Just over 38 Years
Earth to Mars = 33.9 million miles / 75 mph = Just over 51.5 Years
Earth to Mercury = 48 million miles / 75 mph = Just over 73 Years
Earth to Jupiter = 365 million miles / 75 mph = Just over 555.5 Years
Earth to Saturn= 739.68 million miles / 75 mph = Just over 1,125.8 Years
Earth to Uranus= 1.6 Billion miles / 75 mph = Just over 2,435 Years
Earth to Neptune = 2.68 Billion miles / 75 mph = Just over 4,079 Years

As you can see, to drive the distance might be a little longer than any of us want to spend on the road. Even if it is in space and in a Camaro. But what about if we took an American Space Shuttle? The space shuttle orbits the Earth at about 17,500 mph.

Earth to the Moon = 221,331 miles / 17,500 mph = Just over 12.6 Hours

Earth to Venus = 25 million miles / 17,500 mph = Almost 2 Months (59.52 Days)
Earth to Mars = 33.9 million miles / 17,500 mph = Just over 2.5 months (80.71 Days)
Earth to Mercury = 48 million miles / 17,500 mph = Almost 4 months (114.3 Days)
Earth to Jupiter = 365 million miles / 17,500 mph = Almost 2 Years and 5 months
Earth to Saturn= 739.68 million miles / 17,500 mph = Almost 4 Years and 10 months
Earth to Uranus= 1.6 Billion miles / 17,500 mph = Almost 10.5 Years
Earth to Neptune = 2.68 Billion miles / 17,500 mph = Almost 17.5 Years

Still too long of a trip? Cant get enough vacation time? So what if we had a space ship from a good movie that travels at the speed of light? Light travels at the speed of 186,282 Miles per Second. Or 670,615,200 MPH.

Earth to the Moon = 221,331 miles / 17,500 mph = About 1.19 Seconds

Earth to Venus = 25 million miles / 17,500 mph = About 2 minutes, 14 seconds
Earth to Mars = 33.9 million miles / 17,500 mph = About 3 minutes, 2 seconds
Earth to Mercury = 48 million miles / 17,500 mph = About 4 minutes, 18 seconds
Earth to Jupiter = 365 million miles / 17,500 mph = About 32 minutes, 39 seconds
Earth to Saturn= 739.68 million miles / 17,500 mph = About 1 Hour, 6 minutes, 11 seconds
Earth to Uranus= 1.6 Billion miles / 17,500 mph = About 2 Hours, 23 minutes, 9 seconds
Earth to Neptune = 2.68 Billion miles / 17,500 mph = About 3 Hours, 59 minutes, 47 seconds

So just imagine that. If you pointed a flash light at Neptune and turned it on. That first ray of light would take almost a full 4 hours to reach Neptune.

Solar System

According to Extreme Science, the Solar System is defined as a central sun with its associated planets, asteroids, meteors, natural satellites (i.e.,moons), and comets that are "captured" in its orbit.

The Sun, a white star is the center body of our solar system and has eight planets as well as many other bodies including dwarf planets and asteroids orbiting around it. The planets are in the following order with its closest distance from the sun in parenthesis ....

Mercury (28,580,000 Miles from the Sun)
Venus (66,800,000 Miles from the Sun)
Earth (91,400,000 Miles from the Sun)
Mars (128,390,000 Miles from the Sun)
Jupiter (460,000,000 Miles from the Sun)
Saturn (840,440,000 Miles from the Sun)
Uranus (1,703,364,322 Miles from the Sun)
Neptune (2,770,000,000 Miles from the Sun)

Pluto was, for many years, considered to be the 9th planet in the solar system. However, due to its small size and proximity, in 2006, it has been changed to be called a dwarf planet and part of the Kuiper Belt which orbits the sun as well.

Planet Saturn

Saturn is the 6th closest planet to the Sun


Diameter of Saturn =74,900 Miles

Distance from Saturn to the Sun = 840,440,000 miles at its closest and 941,070,000 miles at its furthest.

Distance from Saturn to Earth = 739,680,000 miles at its closest.

One Rotation of Saturn takes = 10 Hours 39 Minutes. Saturn's extreme rotation speed causes the planets shape to bulge at its equator. The diameter of Jupiter at its equator is about 8,000 miles larger than it is at the poles.

One Orbit around the Sun takes = 10,759 Earth days (about 29-1/2 Years).

Atmosphere on Saturn = Most scientist believe Saturn is one large ball of gas with no solid surface, but there is reason to believe that Saturn has a solid, hot, inner core of iron and rocky materials. There is an outer core that is believed to be Ammonia, Methane and Water. Surrounding that outer core is a layer of highly compressed, liquid metallic hydrogen. Above this lies a layer of hydrogen and helium.

Speed of Travel during orbit = Approximately 21,675.91 MPH

Distance of Travel (one Orbit) = Approximately 5,597,065,734 Miles (Almost 5.6 Billion Miles)

Rings = There are 7 rings around Saturn, made up from thousands of smaller ringlets. These ringlets are made of billions of chunks of ice that range from the size of a particle of dust, to larger chunks about 10 feet across.

The largest ring can measure as much as 180,000 miles across. There is a space between the rings of about 2,000 miles. The thickness of the rings range from 6,60 feet to 9,800 feet.

Natural Satellites (Moons) = Saturn has 25 larger satellites that are at least 6 miles across and several other smaller satellites. The largest, Titan, is 3,200 miles in diameter. Titan is larger than two of the planets, Mercury and Pluto.