The Earth spins on its axis at about 1,000 miles per hour (approximately 1,600 kilometers per hour) at the equator. This speed decreases as you move toward the poles due to the smaller circumference of the Earth at higher latitudes. For example, at 45 degrees latitude, the spin speed is roughly 733 mph (1,180 km/h), and at the poles, the spin speed is nearly zero because the Earth essentially rotates in place there
. This rotation takes about 24 hours for a full spin relative to the Sun (solar day), or about 23 hours 56 minutes relative to distant stars (sidereal day)
. The Earth's circumference at the equator is roughly 40,075 kilometers (24,898 miles), and dividing this by the length of the day gives the rotational speed
. In summary:
- Spin speed at equator: ~1,000 mph (1,600 km/h)
- Spin speed decreases with latitude, approaching zero at poles
- One full rotation takes about 24 hours (solar day)
This spin speed is distinct from Earth's orbital speed around the Sun, which is much faster at about 67,000 mph (107,000 km/h)
