Curious: I want to know the speed of the sunset?

Question

Does any one know the speed of the demarcation line of the sunset as it travels across the surface of the earth?

I will be flying westward from Houston to LA this afternoon / evening. When I leave it will still be daylight here. But when I arrive in LA it will be dark. So obviously the sun sets faster than the plane flies, which is approx. 550 - 600mph.

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

The earth rotates once in 24 hours
Circumference of the earth = 24,901.55 miles (40,075.16 kilometers) around the equator.
24901.55/24 = 1037.56mph

iberius · Answer

at the equator, the speed is 1000 mph, at the poles, it is zero mph.  LA and Houston are about 33 degrees latitude, making the sunset speed about 875mph,  about 300mph faster than a plane flies.  ofcourse if you are in an f18 tomcat, you can make the sun rise in the west

Anonymous · Answer

The Earth rotates at approximately 1000 mph.

Bert B · Answer

The sun doesn't move it's the rotation of the earth that makes it appear as such. If you know the speed of the rotation you have your answer.

swatthefly · Answer

rough estimate: 1000mph

the earth is about 24,000 miles around, and there are 24 hours in a day.

? · Answer

if your plane flies 600 mph, let me join you. 600 mph is lke a concord lol.

Trending News

Curious: I want to know the speed of the sunset?

6 Answers