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Why Can’t We Feel the Earth’s Motion Around the Sun and Through the Galaxy and Universe?

-- Mary | September 6, 2020

Question:

Okay so looking around on the internet it tells me that the Earth, spins at approx 1,000 mph, the speed at which the Earth rotates around the sun is approx, 67,000 mph, our solar system travels through the galaxy at approx 515,000 mph, and our galaxy is moving thru the universe (space) at approx. 1,300,000 mph…

How come we feel no movement (not that I want to lol), what keeps us from NOT feeling the movement?

**excuse me if the numbers are not accurate, but I think you can see what I am asking.

-- Mary

Answer:

Since the Earth rotates on its axis, orbits around the Sun, and moves through the Galaxy and the Universe at the same velocity for each motion, we do not notice these motions. If you are traveling in a car that is not changing speed or direction on a very smooth road, you would not feel the motion of the car unless it accelerates or decelerates. This is why we do not feel any of the Earth’s motions through the Universe.

-- Jeff Mangum

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