The center of the earth (or core) is solid and made up mostly of iron. The next layer is a thick layer of molten rock that is very hot. The top layer is actually a very thin layer (only about 30 miles wide) and made up of our continents and oceans.
Water covers 71% of the Earth's surface. Earth is the only planet in our solar system where water exists in liquid form.
Distance and Size
The average distance of the Earth to the Sun is 93 million miles. The Earth is 24,000 miles around and 7,600 miles in diameter.
Time on Earth
There are 365 days in a year on the planet Earth and 24 hours in a day.
Moons
The Earth only has one moon and it is not named. The space craft Clementine took photos of the Earth's moon and they show that a very large object actually collided with the moon. There is a large crater on the moon's surface caused by the collision.
Interesting News about the Earth's Moon
The Earth only has one moon but Native American Indians, writers and scientists have long studied the moon and its affect on people and the Earth. Through these studies people have discovered the moon is about one fourth the size of the Earth. Another interesting fact is that Earth is the only planet in the solar system that has solar eclipses (when the moon hides the sun.) Unbelievably, the moon is the second brightest object in the sky next to the sun. People will continue to study the moon and its effect on Earth for years to come.
Just For Fun
The average weight of our group on Earth is 130 pounds.
