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Earth is the third planet from the Sun, a rocky world with a global ocean, a nitrogen-and-oxygen atmosphere, and the only life known to us. Its rotation, orbit, tilted axis, moving crust, and internal heat keep the planet in constant motion.
Where is Earth in the solar system?
Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the largest of the four terrestrial, or rocky, planets. Its average distance from the Sun is about 150 million kilometers (93 million miles), roughly one astronomical unit (AU). These NASA Science figures were accessed in 2026; the page does not display a publication year.
Earth is the only planet in our solar system known to have abundant liquid water on its surface. It is also the only world currently known to host life. That describes what has been observed, not whether life could exist elsewhere.
How big is Earth?
NASA Science gives Earth’s equatorial diameter as 12,756 kilometers (7,926 miles), making it the fifth-largest planet in the solar system. Earth is roughly spherical, but not a perfect sphere: its rotation makes it slightly wider around the equator than from pole to pole.
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For a more precise description, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center’s NSSDC Earth Fact Sheet lists an equatorial radius of 6,378.137 km, a polar radius of 6,356.752 km, and a volumetric mean radius of 6,371.000 km. These are distinct measurements, so a diameter or radius should be identified rather than treated as a single interchangeable figure. The fact sheet was accessed in 2026 and does not display a publication year.
How does Earth move?
Earth rotates on its axis and travels around the Sun. NASA Science gives the rotation period as about 23.9 hours and the orbital period as about 365.25 days. A rotation relative to distant stars is not exactly the same interval as the familiar solar day; for everyday purposes, a day is about 24 hours.
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As Earth rotates, the side facing the Sun experiences day while the opposite side experiences night. As it orbits, different parts of the planet receive changing angles and durations of sunlight.
Why does Earth have seasons?
Earth’s axis is tilted about 23.4 degrees relative to its orbital plane, according to NASA Science. As the planet completes its orbit, this tilt changes how directly sunlight reaches each hemisphere and how long the Sun stays above the horizon. A hemisphere tilted toward the Sun has summer; one tilted away has winter. Seasons are caused primarily by this changing sunlight, not simply by Earth being closer to or farther from the Sun.
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How much of Earth is covered by water?
NASA Science reports that the global ocean covers about 71% of Earth’s surface and contains about 97% of its water. The ocean’s scale is why Earth is often called an ocean world, even though continents and islands also shape its surface.
Liquid water can persist at the surface because Earth has a suitable range of temperatures and other conditions. This is a key part of the planet’s habitability, but it should not be confused with evidence that life elsewhere is impossible.
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What is Earth made of?
Layers inside the planet
From the center outward, Earth’s main layers are the solid inner core, liquid outer core, mantle, and crust. The crust is the thin outer layer on which continents and ocean basins sit. Beneath it, the mantle and core extend deep into the planet; heat and motion within Earth help drive changes at the surface.
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Earth’s rigid outer shell is divided into lithospheric plates that move over long periods. Their interactions build and reshape features such as mountains and valleys and are associated with earthquake zones. The surface is therefore not fixed: it changes as plates shift and interact.
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What is Earth’s atmosphere made of?
NASA Science’s accessible overview rounds the atmosphere to 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and 1% other gases. For dry air, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center’s NSSDC fact sheet specifies 78.08% nitrogen and 20.95% oxygen by volume. It notes that rounding and uncertainty mean listed values may not total exactly 100%.
The same fact sheet lists carbon dioxide at 420 parts per million (ppm). That is a value shown on that page, accessed in 2026, not a live or current monitoring reading. The atmosphere also contains other trace gases and water vapor, whose amount varies.
How does Earth’s magnetic field work?
Earth has a magnetic field associated with processes involving its molten, nickel-iron outer core. Interactions between the field and charged particles from space contribute to auroras. The field affects how those particles interact with Earth, but it should not be described as a complete shield from radiation.
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Earth has one natural satellite, the Moon, and no rings. NASA describes the Moon’s origin as likely resulting from a collision early in Earth’s history. The word “likely” matters: this is the leading explanation presented in NASA’s overview, not a directly observed event.
Earth facts at a glance
| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Position from the Sun | Third planet |
| Average distance from the Sun | About 150 million km (93 million miles), approximately 1 AU |
| Equatorial diameter | 12,756 km (7,926 miles) |
| Rotation period | About 23.9 hours |
| Orbital period | About 365.25 days |
| Axial tilt | About 23.4 degrees |
| Surface covered by global ocean | About 71% |
| Earth’s water in the global ocean | About 97% |
| Natural satellites | One Moon |
| Rings | None |
The physical and orbital values in this table are from NASA Science’s “Facts About Earth,” accessed in 2026; the page does not display a publication year. Figures are rounded as presented there.
Quick Recap
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