Features characteristics depending on the shape of the planet earth. The main characteristics of the earth as a celestial body

Earth is the third planet in the solar system. Find out the description of the planet, mass, orbit, size, interesting facts, distance to the Sun, composition, life on Earth.

Of course we love our planet. And not only because it is a native home, but also because it is a unique place in solar system and the Universe, because so far we know only life on Earth. It lives in the inner part of the system and occupies a place between Venus and Mars.

planet earth also called the Blue Planet, Gaia, the World and Terra, which reflects its role for each people in historical terms. We know that our planet is rich in many various forms life, but how exactly did she manage to become such? First, consider interesting facts about the Earth.

Interesting facts about planet Earth

Rotation gradually slows down

• For earthlings, the entire process of slowing down the rotation of the axis occurs almost imperceptibly - 17 milliseconds per 100 years. But the nature of the speed is not uniform. This results in an increase in the length of the day. After 140 million years, a day will cover 25 hours.

The earth was believed to be the center of the universe

• Ancient scientists could observe celestial objects from the position of our planet, so it seemed that all objects in the sky were moving relative to us, and we remained at one point. As a result, Copernicus declared that the Sun is at the center of everything ( heliocentric system world), although now we know that this does not correspond to reality, if we take the scale of the Universe.

Endowed with powerful magnetic field

• The earth's magnetic field is created by the nickel-iron planetary core, which is rapidly rotating. The field is important because it protects us from the influence of the solar wind.

Has one companion

• If you look at the percentage, then the Moon is the largest satellite in the system. But in reality it is in the 5th position in size.

The only planet not named after a deity

• Ancient scientists named all 7 planets after the gods, and modern scientists followed the tradition when discovering Uranus and Neptune.

First in Density

• Everything is based on the composition and specific part of the planet. So the core is represented by metal and bypasses the crust in density. Average earth density - 5.52 grams per cm 3.

Size, mass, orbit of the planet Earth

With a radius of 6371 km and a mass of 5.97 x 10 24 kg, the Earth is in the 5th position in terms of size and massiveness. This is the most big planet terrestrial type, but it is inferior in size to the gas and ice giants. However, in terms of density (5.514 g / cm 3) it ranks first in the solar system.

polar contraction	0,0033528
Equatorial	6378.1 km
Polar radius	6356.8 km
Medium radius	6371.0 km
Great circle circumference	40,075.017 km (equator) (meridian)
Surface area	510,072,000 km²
Volume	10.8321 10 11 km³
Weight	5.9726 10 24 kg
Average density	5.5153 g/cm³
Acceleration free fall at the equator	9.780327 m/s²
first cosmic speed	7.91 km/s
Second space velocity	11.186 km/s
equatorial speed rotation	1674.4 km/h
Rotation period	(23 h 56 m 4,100 s)
Axis Tilt	23°26’21",4119
Albedo	0.306 (Bond) 0.367 (geom.)

A weak eccentricity (0.0167) is observed in the orbit. The distance from the star at perihelion is 0.983 AU, and at aphelion it is 1.015 AU.

It takes 365.24 days to go around the Sun. We know that because of the existence leap year, we add a day every 4 passes. We used to think that a day lasts 24 hours, in reality this time takes 23 hours 56 meters and 4 seconds.

If you observe the rotation of the axis from the poles, you can see that it occurs counterclockwise. The axis is tilted 23.439281° from the perpendicular to the orbital plane. This affects the amount of light and heat.

If a North Pole turned towards the Sun, then summer is established in the northern hemisphere, and winter is established in the southern hemisphere. At a certain time, the Sun does not rise at all over the Arctic Circle, and then night and winter last there for 6 months.

The composition and surface of the planet Earth

In shape, the planet Earth resembles a spheroid, oblate at the poles and with a bulge on the equatorial line (diameter - 43 km). This is due to rotation.

The structure of the Earth is represented by layers, each of which has its own chemical composition. It differs from other planets in that our core has a clear distribution between the solid inner (radius - 1220 km) and the liquid outer (3400 km).

Next comes the mantle and bark. The first deepens to 2890 km (the densest layer). It is represented by silicate rocks with iron and magnesium. The crust is divided into the lithosphere (tectonic plates) and the asthenosphere (low viscosity). You can carefully consider the structure of the Earth in the diagram.

The lithosphere breaks up into solid tectonic plates. These are rigid blocks that move relative to each other. There are points of connection and break. It is their contact that leads to earthquakes, volcanic activity, the creation of mountains and ocean trenches.

There are 7 main plates: Pacific, North American, Eurasian, African, Antarctic, Indo-Australian and South American.

Our planet is remarkable in that approximately 70.8% of the surface is covered with water. The bottom map of the Earth shows tectonic plates.

The earth landscape is different everywhere. The submerged surface resembles mountains and features underwater volcanoes, oceanic trenches, canyons, plains, and even oceanic plateaus.

During the development of the planet, the surface was constantly changing. Here it is worth considering the movement of tectonic plates, as well as erosion. The transformation of glaciers, the creation of coral reefs, meteorite impacts, etc. also affect.

The continental crust is represented by three varieties: magnesium rocks, sedimentary and metamorphic. The first is divided into granite, andesite and basalt. Sedimentary is 75% and is created during the disposal of accumulated sediment. The latter is formed during icing of sedimentary rock.

From the lowest point, the surface height reaches -418 m (on the Dead Sea) and rises to 8848 m (the summit of Everest). Average Height land above sea level - 840 m. The mass is also divided between hemispheres and continents.

The outer layer contains soil. This is a kind of line between the lithosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere. Approximately 40% of the surface is used for agricultural purposes.

Atmosphere and temperature of planet Earth

There are 5 layers of the earth's atmosphere: troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere and exosphere. The higher you go, the less air, pressure and density you will feel.

Closest to the surface is the troposphere (0-12 km). It contains 80% of the mass of the atmosphere, with 50% located within the first 5.6 km. Consists of nitrogen (78%) and oxygen (21%) with impurities of water vapor, carbon dioxide and other gaseous molecules.

In the interval of 12-50 km we see the stratosphere. It is separated from the first tropopause - a feature with relatively warm air. This is where the ozone layer is located. The temperature rises as the interlayer absorbs ultraviolet light. The atmospheric layers of the Earth are shown in the figure.

It is a stable layer and virtually free from turbulence, clouds and other weather formations.

At an altitude of 50-80 km is the mesosphere. This is the coldest place (-85°C). It is located near the mesopause, which extends from 80 km to the thermopause (500-1000 km). The ionosphere lives within 80-550 km. Here the temperature rises with altitude. In the photo of the Earth you can admire the northern lights.

The layer is devoid of clouds and water vapor. But it is here that the auroras are formed and the International space station(320-380 km).

The outermost sphere is the exosphere. This is a transitional layer to outer space, devoid of atmosphere. Represented by hydrogen, helium and heavier molecules with low density. However, the atoms are so widely dispersed that the layer does not behave like a gas, and the particles are constantly escaping into space. lives here most of satellites.

This score is influenced by many factors. The Earth makes an axial rotation in 24 hours, which means that one side always experiences night and lower temperatures. In addition, the axis is tilted, so the north and southern hemisphere alternately deviate and approach.

All this creates seasonality. Not every part of the earth experiences sharp drops and rises in temperatures. For example, the amount of light entering the equatorial line remains virtually unchanged.

If we take the average, we get 14 ° C. But the maximum is 70.7°C (Lut Desert), and the minimum of -89.2°C was reached at the Soviet station Vostok on the Antarctic Plateau in July 1983.

Moon and Earth's asteroids

The planet has only one satellite, which affects not only the physical changes of the planet (for example, tides), but also reflected in history and culture. To be precise, the Moon is the only celestial body on which a person walked. It happened on July 20, 1969, and Neil Armstrong got the first step. Generally speaking, 13 astronauts landed on the satellite.

The moon appeared 4.5 billion years ago due to the collision of the Earth and a Martian-sized object (Theia). We can be proud of our companion, because it is one of largest moons in the system, and also ranks second in density (after Io). It is in a gravitational lock (one side always faces the Earth).

It covers 3474.8 km in diameter (1/4 of the Earth's), and its mass is 7.3477 x 10 22 kg. The average density is 3.3464 g/cm 3 . According to gravity, it reaches only 17% of the earth. The moon affects the earth's tides, as well as the activity of all living organisms.

Do not forget that there are lunar and solar eclipses. The first happens when the Moon enters the Earth's shadow, and the second happens when a satellite passes between us and the Sun. The satellite's atmosphere is weak, which causes temperature readings to fluctuate greatly (from -153°C to 107°C).

Helium, neon and argon can be found in the atmosphere. The first two are created by the solar wind, and argon is due to the radioactive decay of potassium. There is also evidence of frozen water in the craters. The surface is divided into Various types. There is Maria - flat plains, which ancient astronomers took for the seas. Terras are lands, like highlands. You can even notice mountainous areas and craters.

Earth has five asteroids. Satellite 2010 TK7 resides at point L4, and asteroid 2006 RH120 approaches the Earth-Moon system every 20 years. If we talk about artificial satellites, then there are 1265 of them, as well as 300,000 pieces of garbage.

Formation and evolution of the planet Earth

In the 18th century, mankind came to the conclusion that our terrestrial planet, like the entire solar system, emerged from a foggy cloud. That is, 4.6 billion years ago, our system resembled a circumstellar disk, represented by gas, ice and dust. Then most of it approached the center and, under pressure, transformed into the Sun. The remaining particles created the planets known to us.

The primordial Earth appeared 4.54 billion years ago. From the very beginning, it was melted due to volcanoes and frequent collisions with other objects. But 4-2.5 billion years ago, solid crust and tectonic plates appeared. Degassing and volcanoes created the first atmosphere, and ice that arrived on comets formed the oceans.

The surface layer did not remain frozen, so the continents converged and moved apart. Approximately 750 million years ago, the very first supercontinent began to diverge. Pannotia was created 600-540 million years ago, and the last (Pangaea) collapsed 180 million years ago.

The modern picture was created 40 million years ago and fixed 2.58 million years ago. Now last last glacial period that began 10,000 years ago.

It is believed that the first hints of life on Earth appeared 4 billion years ago (the Archean eon). Because of chemical reactions self-replicating molecules appeared. Photosynthesis created molecular oxygen, which together with ultraviolet rays formed the first ozone layer.

Further, various multicellular organisms began to appear. Microbial life arose 3.7-3.48 billion years ago. 750-580 million years ago, most of the planet was covered with glaciers. Active reproduction of organisms started during the Cumbrian explosion.

Since that moment (535 million years ago), history has 5 major extinction events. The last (the death of dinosaurs from a meteorite) occurred 66 million years ago.

They were replaced by new species. African ape-like animal stood up hind legs and freed the forelimbs. This stimulated the brain to apply various tools. Further, we know about the development of crops, socialization and other mechanisms that led us to modern man.

Reasons why planet earth is habitable

If the planet meets a number of conditions, then it is considered potentially habitable. Now the Earth is the only lucky one with developed life forms. What is needed? Let's start with the main criterion - liquid water. Besides, main star must provide enough light and heat to maintain the atmosphere. An important factor is the location in the habitat (the distance of the Earth from the Sun).

You have to understand how lucky we are. After all, Venus is similar in size, but due to its proximity to the Sun, it is a hell of a hot place with acid rain. And Mars behind us is too cold and has a weak atmosphere.

Planet earth research

The first attempts to explain the origin of the Earth were based on religion and myths. Often the planet became a deity, namely a mother. Therefore, in many cultures, the history of everything begins with the mother and the birth of our planet.

The shape is also very interesting. In ancient times, the planet was considered flat, but different cultures added their own features. For example, in Mesopotamia, a flat disk floated in the middle of the ocean. The Maya had 4 jaguars holding the heavens. For the Chinese, it was generally a cube.

Already in the 6th century BC. e. scientists sewed to a round shape. Surprisingly, in the 3rd century BC. e. Eratosthenes even managed to calculate the circle with an error of 5-15%. The spherical shape was fixed with the advent of the Roman Empire. About changes in earth's surface Aristotle also said. He believed that this happens too slowly, so a person is not able to catch. This is where attempts to understand the age of the planet arise.

Scientists are actively studying geology. The first catalog of minerals was created by Pliny the Elder in the 1st century AD. In the 11th century in Persia, explorers studied Indian geology. The theory of geomorphology was created by the Chinese naturalist Shen Guo. He identified marine fossils located far from the water.

In the 16th century, understanding and exploration of the Earth expanded. It is worth thanking the heliocentric model of Copernicus, which proved that the Earth does not act as a universal center (previously they used the geocentric system). As well as Galileo Galilei for his telescope.

In the 17th century, geology was firmly entrenched among other sciences. It is said that the term was coined by Ulysses Aldvandi or Mikkel Eschholt. The fossils discovered at that time caused serious controversy in the earth age. All religious people insisted on 6,000 years (as the Bible said).

These disputes ended in 1785 when James Hutton declared that the Earth was much older. It was based on the blurring of rocks and the calculation of the time required for this. In the 18th century, scientists were divided into 2 camps. The first thought that rocks besieged by floods, while the latter complained about fiery conditions. Hutton stood in firing position.

First geological maps The lands appeared in the 19th century. The main work is "Principles of Geology", published in 1830 by Charles Lyell. In the 20th century, it became much easier to calculate the age thanks to radiometric dating (2 billion years). However, already the study of tectonic plates has led to a modern mark of 4.5 billion years.

The future of planet Earth

Our life depends on the behavior of the Sun. However, each star has its own evolutionary path. It is expected that in 3.5 billion years it will increase in volume by 40%. This will increase the flow of radiation, and the oceans may simply evaporate. Then plants will die, and in a billion years all living things will disappear, and a constant average temperature will be fixed at around 70 ° C.

In 5 billion years, the Sun will transform into a red giant and shift our orbit by 1.7 AU.

If you look through the entire earth's history, then humanity is just a fleeting flash. However, the Earth remains the most important planet, home and unique place. One can only hope that we will have time to populate other planets outside our system before the critical period of solar development. Below you can explore the map of the Earth's surface. In addition, our site contains many beautiful photos planets and places of the earth from space in high resolution. With the help of online telescopes from the ISS and satellites, you can observe the planet in real time for free.

Click on the image to enlarge it

Earth is a unique planet! Of course, this is true in our solar system and beyond. Nothing observed by scientists leads to the idea that there are other planets like the Earth.

Earth is the only planet orbiting our Sun that we know has life.

Like no other planet, ours is covered in green vegetation, a vast blue ocean containing over a million islands, hundreds of thousands of streams and rivers, vast masses of land called continents, mountains, glaciers and deserts that produce a wide variety of colors and textures.

Some forms of life can be found in almost every ecological niche on the surface of the earth. Even in very cold Antarctica, hardy microscopic creatures thrive in ponds, tiny wingless insects live in patches of mosses and lichens, plants grow and bloom annually. From the top of the atmosphere to the bottom of the oceans, from the cold part of the poles to the warm part of the equator, life thrives. To this day, no signs of life have been found on any other planet.

The Earth is huge in size, about 13,000 km in diameter, and weighing approximately 5.981024 kg. The Earth is on average 150 million km from the Sun. If the Earth goes much faster on its 584 million km journey around the Sun, its orbit will become larger and it will move farther from the Sun. If it is too far from the narrow habitable zone, all life will cease to exist on Earth.

If this trip gets a little slower in its orbit, the Earth will move closer to the Sun, and if it moves too close, all life will also perish. The Earth travels around the Sun in 365 days, 6 hours, 49 minutes and 9.54 seconds (a sidereal year), more than a thousandth of a second!

If a mean annual temperature on the surface of the Earth will change by only a few degrees or so, most of the life on it will eventually become fried or frozen. This change will upset the water-glacial relationship and other important balances, with disastrous results. If the Earth spins slower than its axis, all life will die in time, either by freezing at night due to lack of heat from the Sun or by burning during the day from too much heat.

Thus, our "normal" processes on Earth are undoubtedly unique among our solar system, and, according to what we know, throughout the universe:

1. She is habitable planet. It is the only planet in the solar system that supports life. All forms of life right from the smallest microscopic organisms to huge land and sea animals.

2. Its distance from the Sun (150 million kilometers) is reasonable to give it average temperature 18 to 20 degrees Celsius. It's not as hot as Mercury and Venus, and not as cold as Jupiter or Pluto.

3. It has an abundance of water (71%) that is not found on any other planet. And which is not found on any of the known planets in liquid state so close to the surface.

4. Has a biosphere that provides us with food, shelter, clothing and minerals.

5. Doesn't have poisonous gases like helium or methane like Jupiter.

6. It is rich in oxygen, which makes life possible on Earth.

7. Its atmosphere acts like a blanket protecting the Earth from extreme temperatures.

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Planet characteristics:

• Distance from the Sun: 149.6 million km
• Planet Diameter: 12,765 km
• Days on the planet: 23h 56min 4s*
• Year on the planet: 365 days 6h 9m 10s*
• t° on the surface: average for the planet +12°C (In Antarctica up to -85°C; in the Sahara desert up to +70°C)
• Atmosphere: 77% Nitrogen; 21% oxygen; 1% water vapor and other gases
• Satellites: Moon

* period of rotation around its own axis (in Earth days)
** orbital period around the Sun (in Earth days)

From the very beginning of the development of civilization, people were interested in the origin of the Sun, planets and stars. But most of all, the planet that is ours is of most interest. common home, Earth. Ideas about it changed along with the development of science, the very concept of stars and planets, as we understand it now, was formed only a few centuries ago, which is negligible compared to the very age of the Earth.

Presentation: planet earth

The third planet from the Sun, which has become our home, has a satellite - the Moon, and is included in the group of terrestrial planets such as Mercury, Venus and Mars. The giant planets differ significantly from them in physical properties and building. But even such a tiny planet in comparison with them, like the Earth, has an incredible mass in terms of comprehension - 5.97x1024 kilograms. It revolves around the star in an orbit at an average distance from the Sun of 149 million kilometers, rotating around its axis, which causes the change of days and nights. And the ecliptic of the orbit itself characterizes the seasons.

Our planet plays a unique role in the solar system, because the Earth is the only planet that has life! The Earth is located in an extremely successful way. It travels in orbit at a distance of almost 150,000,000 kilometers from the Sun, which means only one thing - Earth is warm enough for water to remain in liquid form. Under the condition of hot temperatures, the water would simply evaporate, and in the cold it would turn into ice. Only on Earth is there an atmosphere in which humans and all living organisms can breathe.

History of the origin of the planet Earth

Starting from the Big Bang Theory and based on the study of radioactive elements and their isotopes, scientists have found out that the approximate age of the earth's crust is about four and a half billion years, and the age of the Sun is about five billion years. Just like the entire galaxy, the Sun was formed as a result of gravitational compression of a cloud of interstellar dust, and after the luminary, the planets included in the solar system were formed.

As for the formation of the Earth itself as a planet, its very birth and formation lasted hundreds of millions of years and took place in several phases. At the birth phase, obeying the laws of gravity, falling on its ever-growing surface a large number of planetesimals and large cosmic bodies, which subsequently constituted almost the entire modern mass of the earth. Under the influence of such a bombardment, the planet's substance was heated and then melted. Under the influence of gravity heavy elements, such as ferrum and nickel, created the core, and from the lighter compounds formed the earth's mantle, the crust with continents and oceans lying on its surface, and an atmosphere that was originally very different from the present.

The internal structure of the earth

Of the planets of its group, the Earth has the largest mass and therefore has the largest internal energy - gravitational and radiogenic, under the influence of which processes in the earth's crust are still ongoing, as can be seen from volcanic and tectonic activity. Although igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks have already formed, forming the outlines of landscapes, which are gradually modified under the influence of erosion.

Under the atmosphere of our planet is a solid surface called the earth's crust. It is divided into huge pieces (slabs) of solid rock, which can move and, when moving, touch and push each other. As a result of this movement, mountains and other features of the earth's surface appear.

The earth's crust is 10 to 50 kilometers thick. The crust "floats" on the liquid earth's mantle, the mass of which is 67% of the mass of the entire Earth and extends to a depth of 2890 kilometers!

The mantle is followed by the outer liquid core, which extends into the depths for another 2260 kilometers. This layer is also mobile and is able to emit electric currents, which create the magnetic field of the planet!

At the very center of the Earth is the inner core. It is very hard and contains a lot of iron.

Atmosphere and surface of the Earth

Earth is the only one of all the planets in the solar system that has oceans - they cover more than seventy percent of its surface. Initially, water in the atmosphere in the form of steam played a large role in the formation of the planet - the greenhouse effect raised the temperature on the surface by those tens of degrees necessary for the existence of water in the liquid phase, and in combination with solar radiation gave rise to photosynthesis of living matter - organic matter.

From space, the atmosphere appears to be a blue border around the planet. This thinnest dome consists of 77% nitrogen, 20% oxygen. The rest is a mixture of various gases. Earth atmosphere contains much more oxygen than any other planet. Oxygen is vital for animals and plants.

This is unique phenomenon can be regarded as a miracle or considered an incredible coincidence of accidents. It was the ocean that gave rise to the birth of life on the planet, and, as a result, the emergence of Homo sapiens. Surprisingly, the oceans still hold many secrets. Developing, humanity continues to explore space. The entry into near-Earth orbit made it possible to comprehend in a new way many geoclimatic processes occurring on Earth, further study of the secrets of which is yet to be done by more than one generation of people.

Earth Satellite - Moon

The planet Earth has its only satellite - the Moon. The first to describe the properties and characteristics of the Moon was the Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei, he described the mountains, craters and plains on the surface of the Moon, and in 1651 the astronomer Giovanni Riccioli mapped the visible side of the lunar surface. In the 20th century, on February 3, 1966, the Luna-9 descent module landed on the Moon for the first time, and a few years later, on July 21, 1969, a human foot set foot on the Moon for the first time.

The moon is always turned to the planet Earth with only one of its sides. In this visible side The moons are visible flat "seas", chains of mountains and multiple craters of the most different sizes. The other side, invisible from the Earth, has on the surface a large cluster of mountains and even more craters, and the light reflecting from the Moon, thanks to which at night we can see it in a pale lunar color, is weakly reflected rays from the Sun.

The planet Earth and its satellite the Moon are very different in many properties, while the ratio of stable oxygen isotopes for the planet Earth and its satellite the Moon is the same. Conducted radiometric studies have shown that the age of both celestial bodies is the same, approximately 4.5 billion years. These data give rise to an assumption about the origin of the Moon and the Earth from one substance, which gives rise to several interesting hypotheses about the origin of the Moon: from the origin from one protoplanetary cloud, the capture of the Moon by the Earth and to the formation of the Moon from the collision of the Earth with a large object.

The most studied planet in the solar system is our home planet, Earth. Currently, it is the only known space object in the solar system inhabited by living organisms. In a word, the Earth is our home.

The history of the planet

According to scientists, the planet Earth was formed about 4.5 billion years ago, and the first forms of life after only 600 million years. Since then, a lot has changed. Living organisms have created a global ecosystem, a magnetic field, together with ozone layer protected them from harmful cosmic radiation. All this and many other factors made it possible to create the most beautiful and “living” planet in the solar system.

10 things you need to know about the Earth!

1. Earth is the third planet from the sun in the solar system. a;
2. One revolves around our planet natural satellite- Moon;
   
3. Earth is the only planet not named after a divine being;
4. The Earth's density is the largest of all the planets in the solar system;
5. The speed of the Earth's rotation is gradually slowing down;
6. The average distance from the Earth to the Sun is 1 astronomical unit(a conditional measure of length in astronomy), which equals approximately 150 million km .;
7. The earth has a magnetic field strong enough to protect living organisms on its surface from destructive solar radiation;
8. The first artificial Earth satellite called PS-1 (The Simplest Satellite - 1) was launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome on the Sputnik launch vehicle on October 4, 1957;
9. In orbit around the Earth, compared with other planets, there is the largest number of spacecraft;
10. The earth is the most big planet the terrestrial group in the solar system;

Astronomical characteristics

The meaning of the name of the planet Earth

The word Earth is very old, its origin is lost in the depths of the Proto-Indo-European language community. Fasmer's dictionary refers to similar words in Greek, Persian, Baltic, and also, of course, in Slavic languages, where the same word is used (in accordance with the phonetic laws of specific languages) in the same meaning. The original root has the meaning of "low". Previously, it was believed that the earth is flat, “low”, and rests on three whales, elephants, turtles, etc.

Physical characteristics of the Earth

Rings and satellites

One natural satellite, the Moon, and more than 8,300 artificial satellites revolve around the Earth.

Planet Features

Earth is our home planet. It is the only planet in our solar system where life definitely exists. Everything we need to survive is hidden under a thin layer of atmosphere that separates us from the desolate and uninhabitable form we know of outer space. The earth is made up of complex interactive systems that are often unpredictable. Air, water, earth, life forms, including humans, join forces to create an ever-changing world that we strive to understand.

Exploring the Earth from space allows us to look at our planet as a whole. Scientists from all over the world, working together and sharing their experience, thanks to this opportunity have discovered many interesting facts about our planet.

Some facts are well known. For example, the Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the fifth largest in the solar system. The diameter of the Earth is only a few hundred kilometers larger than that of Venus. The four seasons are the result of the tilt of the Earth's axis of rotation by more than 23 degrees.

Oceans, with an average depth of 4 kilometers, occupy almost 70% of the earth's surface. Pure water exists in the liquid phase only in a narrow temperature range (from 0 to 100 degrees Celsius). This temperature range is especially small compared to the temperature spectrum that is present on other planets in the solar system. The presence and distribution of water vapor in the atmosphere is largely responsible for the formation of weather on Earth.

Our planet has at its center a rapidly spinning molten core composed of nickel and iron. It is thanks to its rotation that a magnetic field is formed around the Earth, protecting us from solar wind, turning it into auroras.

planetary atmosphere

Near the surface of the Earth is a huge ocean of air - our atmosphere. It is composed of 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen and 1% other gases. Thanks to this air gap, which protects us from the destructive for all living space, various weather. It is she who protects us from harmful solar radiation and falling meteors. Space research vehicles have been studying our gaseous envelope for half a century, but it has not yet revealed all the secrets.