Earth “The home planet”

Earth: Home We know more about this planet than any other planet. We use this information to help us determine what might be happening on other planets, in other solar systems.

3 rd from the sun, Average of 1 AU, or 149,600,000 km 12,756 km in diameter 5 th largest planet

Densest major body in the SS Too many spacecrafts and satellites have studied the earth to list them all

Rotation Period: 23 hrs 56 min Orbit Period: ED Average Temp: 14 C

Perfect setting for life as we know it! 71% of surface is covered with water 77% N, 21% O AND a TINY, TINY, TINY % of CO 2

Relatively young surface: After about 500,000,000 years erosion and tectonics tend to erase features, making much of earth’s history a mystery. Greenhouse gases raise the average global temperature from -21 C (what it would be without the gases) to a comfortable 14 C

Free oxygen is a result of biological processes. Free oxygen: critical for you and me!

Earth, from 240,000 miles while Apollo 8 orbits the moon. One natural satellite(The Moon) and thousands of artificial ones

Last shot of the Earth from Voyager