Here is... Where? Thoughts on Relative Planetary Motion

by Thomas Wayne King

My glasses and keys are on the table next to my chair. I set them down a few minutes ago. And they are still right here, relative to me. But they have already moved far more than I can comprehend. Here is the quick summary.

At our equator, Earth rotates at 1,000 miles per hour. That's why rocket launches to space are done nearer the equator than where we live in mid-continent North America. Our planet acts as a spinning catapult. Here in Wisconsin, we move at about 500 miles per hour as our planet turns on its axis. We may be aware of this movement in tides and seismic changes we sense as earth quakes and temblors.

Vector Designed By Στέργιος Αδαμαντίδης from pngtree.com ©pngtree.com.

While we spin, Earth simultaneously orbits our star, the Sun, at about 66,000 miles per hour. We seldom notice this motion, but can observe our circling around our main star by the changing constellations and star patterns we see throughout the year.

Adding complexity, our planet follows the Sun as our entire solar system orbits as a group within the Milky Way Galaxy. Our collective movement is at about 43,000 miles per hour as we travel around the circuit together, our Sun with all our planets in tow. 

Extending the awe factor, the Milky Way, our home galaxy, is traveling through the universe toward constellations Leo and Virgo at 1.3 million miles per hour relative to reference points in the universe outside of the Milky Way. 

So...   Earth spins at 1,000 miles per hour as we orbit the Sun at 66,000 miles per hour as our entire solar system circles within our galaxy at 43,000 miles per hour as our galaxy speeds through our universe at 1.3 million miles per hour. All of this is happening at once. 

No wonder I have such trouble finding my glasses and keys. At each moment, they are never where I originally put them.  So, where is here? Here is... Where?

Copyright 2018 Thomas Wayne King

All Rights Reserved.  

Adapted from my newest book in progress: Snow Socks  ...tales of practical transcendence. Completion and release are planned for mid 2019.   TK