• Key Information

  • Earth

  • Type
    Planet
  • Diameter
    7,926 miles
  • Distance from Sun
    92,955,902 miles
  • Orbit Time
    365.25 days
  • Length of Day
    24 hours
  • Temperature
    -128 °F to 131 °F
  • Atmosphere
    Nitrogen, Oxygen, Argon, Carbon Dioxide
  • Date of Discovery
    Unknown
  • Moons
    1
  • Learning Point
  • The atmosphere of Earth protects life on Earth by creating pressure allowing for liquid water to exist on the Earth's surface, absorbing ultraviolet solar radiation, warming the surface through heat retention, and reducing temperature extremes between day and night.
  • Project
  • Research what main layers there are of the atmosphere.
  • Location
  • Located in
    Our Solar System, in orbit around the Sun
  • Fun Facts
  • The mesopause is the coldest place on Earth and has an average temperature around −120 °F.
  • The mesosphere is also the layer where most meteors burn up upon atmospheric entrance.
  • The International Space Station orbits in the thermosphere.
  • The exosphere is the outermost layer of Earth's atmosphere, up to about 6,200 miles, where it merges into the solar wind.