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The earth spins around the sun at 66,480 miles/h (107,000 km/h). It takes a year to travel completely around, a distance of 584 million miles (940 million kilometers).

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The distance from the Earth to the sun is 92 million miles (146 million km). Even at the incredible speed of light, it takes 8 minutes for the sun's light rays to reach us once they leave the sun.

Contrary to what many people think, the earth is the closest to the sun in the middle of winter. It is not the distance, but the tilt of the earth that causes the temperature changes of the seasons.

The planet Venus is named after the Roman goddess of love. It is the brightest planet in the night sky and the only planet to be named after a female.

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Dust storms sometimes cover the planet of Mars for months at a time. The storms, powered by solar heating, can envelop the entire planet in just days.

The day Saturday is named after the planet Saturn, which in turn was named after the Roman god of agriculture, Saturn.

Venus is the hottest planet in our solar system. The surface temperature on Venus is a burning 461.85 °C (863.33 °F). On Pluto it is so cold that liquid nitrogen turns to solid! Pluto's estimated surface temperature is around -228°C (-378°F).

Around 60 tons of cosmic dust falls down to Earth from outer space every day.

Around 60 tons of cosmic dust falls down to Earth from outer space every day. Every breathing organism inhales some of this ancient dust, which long ago may have formed a star or a planet.

Astronomers think Neptune may have oceans that are made up of liquid diamonds.

Astronomers think Neptune may have oceans that are made up of liquid diamonds.

The planet Saturn has 62 moons. One of it's moons named Titan is the only one in our solar system known to have an atmosphere.

The planet Saturn has 62 moons. One of it's moons named Titan is the only one in our solar system known to have an atmosphere.

Earth's tectonic plates move slowly. Some move as fast as human fingernails grow (1 inch/year), while others may move up to 3 times faster.

It takes 100,000 years for a space ship traveling at the speed of light to travel our galaxy (the Milky Way) from one end to the other.

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It takes 8 minutes and 20 seconds for sunlight to reach the Earth.

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