Speed of Sunset

Discussion in 'Earth Science' started by Novar, Sep 1, 2003.

  1. Novar Registered Member

    Messages:
    1
    If you could travel nonstop west around the globe how fast would you have to travel to constantly see a sunset?
     
  2. Google AdSense Guest Advertisement



    to hide all adverts.
  3. cosmictraveler Be kind to yourself always. Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    33,264
    Circumference of the earth is 25,000 miles at the equator so as you go higher or lower in latitude that size decreases. It depends on where you start your journey from on Earth as to how long it takes. If you were standing on the North Pole or South Pole the sun would never set!

    Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!

    Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!

     
  4. Google AdSense Guest Advertisement



    to hide all adverts.
  5. MRC_Hans Skeptic Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    835
    So at the equator, you would need to go a little over 1000mph. That is about MACH 1.6, quite within the abilities of a modern jet fighter, or the soon to be scrapped Concorde (which flies more than MACH 2).

    Hans
     
  6. Google AdSense Guest Advertisement



    to hide all adverts.
  7. hotmail Registered Member

    Messages:
    1
    so wait, u know how the time difference between adelaide and melbourne is half an hour, so how can we figure out the speed of the sunset using that, i need the distance horizontally between ade and melbourne dont i?
     
  8. valich Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    3,501
    If the circumference of the earth is 25,000 miles and the earth completes a rotation in 24 hours then 25,000 divided by 24 is 1041.67 miles per hour. Then this is how fast you would have to go to keep up with the earth's rotation and "constantly see the sunset."
     

Share This Page