Inner Planets

Actual Elapsed Time: 10 years (315 million seconds)

At this speed (roughly thirty million times faster than normal), Mercury and Venus whirl about the sun. The Earth, which completes its revolution about the sun once a year, also moves quickly. The planet Mars, which takes a longer path around the sun, makes five trips over the course of ten years.

How This Clip Was Made:

This animation was created by animating the positions of planets over time using astronomical data and equations for celestial motion. Animator: Bob Hone.

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