Astronomy/Earth and Sun

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Expert: - 4/22/2005


Question
If the Earth stopped revolving around the Sun would the Earth slowly go closer to the Sun?

Also would everyone die?

Answer
Hello Maddy,

If the Earth stopped revolving around the Sun, the Earth would not go SLOWLY closer to the Sun, but would start moving towards the Sun at about 33,000 miles per hour!  That's how fast the Earth is currently moving in orbit.  As it got closer to the Sun (which is about 93 million miles away), it would speed up.  So in several weeks, it would crash into the Sun.  

Everone and everything on Earth would die within about two weeks. I'm sure glad the Earth's motion in orbit about the Sun is keeping us from crashing into the Sun!

Hope that helps.

Prof. James Gort  

Astronomy

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James Gort

Expertise

Questions on observational astronomy, optics, and astrophysics. Specializing in the evolution of stars, variable stars, supernovae, neuton stars/pulsars, black holes, quasars, and cosmology.

Experience

I was a professional astronomer (University of Texas, McDonald Observatory), lecturer at the Adler Planetarium, professor of astrophysics, and amateur astronomer for 42 years. I have made numerous telescopes, and I am currently building one of the largest private observatories in Canada.

Publications
StarDate, University of Texas, numerous Journal Publications

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