When you're standing on Earth's surface, it's easy to forget that our planet is hurtling around the sun at more than 67,000 mph (107,800 km/h). And it's even easier to forget that there are seven other planets also making their way around our home star at similar breakneck speeds, or that all eight have been ceaselessly circling the solar system for billions of years.

But what might really blow your mind is finding out how many trips around the sun each planet has under its belt. This may seem like a tricky thing to calculate, but because the planets' orbits have remained largely unaltered for most of their existence, all it takes is a bit of basic math.

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[–] fastandcurious 40 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Our planet takes a year to orbit the sun and has existed for 4.5 billion years, so it has taken roughly 4.5 billion trips around the solar system.

Mind blowing

[–] Alexstarfire 5 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Well, the interesting part is that the planet's orbit has been stable for almost all of its existence. That not something I expected since things like a day have been slowly shifting over that same time frame.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago

things like a day have been slowly shifting

Well, that's the moon's fault. Speaking of the moon, when did Earth collide with Theia? Did that affect our orbit?

[–] [email protected] 36 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Well...if earth is 4.54 billion years old, then my guess would be...

[–] [email protected] 7 points 11 months ago (1 children)

WHAT IS YOUR GUESS?? /s

[–] [email protected] 4 points 11 months ago (1 children)

At least 5 years old

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago

Thanks for not letting me hang.

[–] tpihkal 25 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Can confirm at least 38 times but I could produce strong evidence that it's probably more.

[–] shalafi 1 points 11 months ago

Huh. I came up with 52, soon to be 53.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 11 months ago (1 children)

At least twice.

[–] Alexstarfire 2 points 11 months ago (1 children)

You are very intelligent for a 2 year old.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago

Thank you. That’s about 14 in dog years I think.

[–] Treczoks 9 points 11 months ago

With an age of 4.5 billion years one could expect 4.5 billion trips around the sun - but this is only valid if earth always stayed in it's current orbit. It is a good estimate, though, as the only event that could have resulted in a noticable change of orbit was probably the creation of the moon, which also belongs in the 4.5 billion years ago category.

[–] [email protected] -4 points 11 months ago (3 children)

Pluto is a planet!

[–] [email protected] 10 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Always "Pluto, Pluto, Pluto". Why does no one ever remember Ceres, Eris, Haumea, and Makemake? They're each as much of a "planet" as Pluto is.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 11 months ago

Pluto IS a planet!

[–] Carighan 5 points 11 months ago (2 children)

Pfft, might as well declare every scattered disc object a planet!

[–] [email protected] 7 points 11 months ago

Yeah, if Pluto is a planet then there's way more than 9 planets.

[–] Alivrah 6 points 11 months ago

Atoms are just tiny planets. Yes, it's planets all the way down!

[–] niktemadur 1 points 11 months ago (1 children)

TIL that Pluto is a planet!

[–] [email protected] 0 points 11 months ago

PLUTO IS A PLANET!