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Space & science

Our solar system is going somewhere, too.

The Sun carries our solar system around the Milky Way’s center. One orbit takes roughly 230 million years.

The idea

The same object can be part of motions described at several different scales.

An example

A diagram of Earth orbiting the Sun answers one question. A diagram of the Sun orbiting the galaxy answers another. Choosing a frame of reference changes what motion the picture emphasizes.

Try it

Draw two nested sketches: Earth around the Sun, then the Sun around the galactic center. Label them as simplified, not to scale.

More context

Our Sun travels around the center of the Milky Way. NASA gives roughly 230 million years for one circuit, carrying the solar system along with it. Astronomy · approximate timescale

Sources & further reading

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