The earth experiences seasons because it is tilted on its axis; how normal is this as far as other planets are concerned? Is it normal for planets to be a little cockeyed or does that distinction make the earth a "lefty" in astronomy?
Mars has seasons too, actually it has slightly more tilt than we do. Venus is not only extremely tilted but also spinning backwards however the atmosphere is so screwed up that the seasons aren’t noticeable. Mercury is the least tilted of all the rocky planets.
The early solar system was a violent and random place. For example Venus probably acquired it’s tilt and backspin the same way a struck cue ball might in pool; something else seems to have hit it. The Earth was also struck at an angle by something with a bit of heft to it, which gouged out a lot of the crust and that plus bits of whatever hit us became the moon. Some planets are just inexplicably odd. Uranus is tilted sideways and no one is really sure why.
Earth is a left-handed redhead in a room full of men in chicken suits and black Elvis impersonators. Normal is a relative term.
Every planet other than Mercury is tilted on it’s axis.
Mercury 0°
Venus 177°
Earth 23.5°
Mars 25°
Jupiter 3°
Saturn 27°
Uranus 98°
Neptune 30°
References :
http://cseligman.com/text/sky/otherseasons.htm
Well, the majority of the solar system worlds show axial tilt – perhaps they all do? Of course we don’t know about worlds beyond our system – not yet anyway, but if our system is typical that could mean that tilt is the rule rather than the exception.
References :
Mars has seasons too, actually it has slightly more tilt than we do. Venus is not only extremely tilted but also spinning backwards however the atmosphere is so screwed up that the seasons aren’t noticeable. Mercury is the least tilted of all the rocky planets.
The early solar system was a violent and random place. For example Venus probably acquired it’s tilt and backspin the same way a struck cue ball might in pool; something else seems to have hit it. The Earth was also struck at an angle by something with a bit of heft to it, which gouged out a lot of the crust and that plus bits of whatever hit us became the moon. Some planets are just inexplicably odd. Uranus is tilted sideways and no one is really sure why.
Earth is a left-handed redhead in a room full of men in chicken suits and black Elvis impersonators. Normal is a relative term.
References :
i thought all planets were on an axis…. i know venus turns west 2 east and Uranus is sideways but i think thats the only major diffrence in the planets.
References :
science book
All the planets in our solar system are tilted a bit. Mercury is tilted very little, while Venus is basically tilted upside down from our point of view, and Uranus is tilted over on its side.
Mercury – 0.01 degrees
Venus – 177 degrees
Earth – 23.5 degrees
Mars – 25.19 degrees
Jupiter – 3.13 degrees
Saturn – 26.13 degrees
Uranus – 97.77 degrees
Neptune – 28.32 degrees
Nothing is known so far about the over 340 planets found in other solar systems.
References :