The Earth spins around its axis at a speed of about 1,670 kilometers per hour (approximately 1,040 miles per hour) at the equator. This speed decreases as you move toward the poles because the circumference of the Earth is smaller at higher latitudes. For example, at 45 degrees latitude, the rotational speed is roughly 1,180 kilometers per hour (733 miles per hour)
. This rotation takes about 23 hours, 56 minutes, and 4 seconds to complete one full turn relative to distant stars (a sidereal day), which is slightly shorter than the 24-hour solar day that we commonly use
. In summary:
- Equatorial rotational speed: ~1,670 km/h (1,040 mph)
- Speed decreases with latitude, calculated by multiplying the equatorial speed by the cosine of the latitude
- One full rotation relative to stars: ~23h 56m 4s
This spin is why we experience day and night, and although Earth spins very fast, we do not feel it because the motion is constant and everything on Earth moves along with it
