What is the equatorial speed of the Earth?

The radius of the Earth is 6378 kilometers and its circumference is 40,066 kilometers so that in 24 hours it rotates at 40,066/24 = 1669 kilometers/hour. The speed at the surface changes with latitude according to the 'cosine' of the latitude so that at latitudes of 45 degrees, the speed is 1669cos(45) = 1179 kilometers/hour, and within 1 mile of the north or south pole, at a latitude of 89.98 degrees, the speed is 1669cos(89.98) = 0.4 kilometers/hour.


Copyright 1997 Dr. Sten Odenwald
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