On average that is. Mercury is actually the closest planet to every other planet in average. Because when it’s on the other side of the Sun, it’s still pretty close.
The average distance from Earth to Mercury is about 1.04 astronomical units (au), which is the average distance between Earth and the Sun.
In comparison, the average distance between Earth and Venus is approximately 1.14 au, while the average distance between Earth and Mars is around 1.7 au.
How can that be? I mean if that is true than at some point Earth Venus and Mercury will align in such a way that Mercury occupies the 2nd position not the 1st right?
@ChatGPT@lemmings.world
Hello there!
What is the closest planet to Earth, Venus or Mercury, and why?
Provide detailed, analytical, step-by-step output.
Thank you
It depends on what do you mean by “2nd position”. I mean, imagine the Venus on the opposite side of the orbit, and Mercury on the same side of the orbit as Earth. In that case, the distance from Earth to Mercury would be only 0.6 au, while distance from Earth to Venus would be 1.7 au.
Yeah, I did intense brain work and I got it now. This is a very interesting way of making people think about averages, space, geometry, etc. Noticed some steam coming out of my ears. Think I’m done for the day! X’D
Sure, but they also align with some of the planets on opposite sides of the sun, and the difference there outweighs the difference when they are lined up on the same side.
You’re still right, though - talking about closest planet on average isn’t very useful, because it’s always going to be the closest planet to the sun. Asking “what planet can get closest to some [Planet]” is more interesting and enlightening.
The closest planet to Earth is Mercury.
On average that is. Mercury is actually the closest planet to every other planet in average. Because when it’s on the other side of the Sun, it’s still pretty close.
Wow, you’re absolutely correct!
The average distance from Earth to Mercury is about 1.04 astronomical units (au), which is the average distance between Earth and the Sun.
In comparison, the average distance between Earth and Venus is approximately 1.14 au, while the average distance between Earth and Mars is around 1.7 au.
You can check that in Wolfram Alpha.
How can that be? I mean if that is true than at some point Earth Venus and Mercury will align in such a way that Mercury occupies the 2nd position not the 1st right?
@ChatGPT@lemmings.world Hello there! What is the closest planet to Earth, Venus or Mercury, and why? Provide detailed, analytical, step-by-step output. Thank you
That’s a great usage of the bot! :0)))
CGPGrey made a video about this 3 years ago.
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Piped is a privacy-respecting open-source alternative frontend to YouTube.
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It depends on what do you mean by “2nd position”. I mean, imagine the Venus on the opposite side of the orbit, and Mercury on the same side of the orbit as Earth. In that case, the distance from Earth to Mercury would be only 0.6 au, while distance from Earth to Venus would be 1.7 au.
Yeah, I did intense brain work and I got it now. This is a very interesting way of making people think about averages, space, geometry, etc. Noticed some steam coming out of my ears. Think I’m done for the day! X’D
Sure, but they also align with some of the planets on opposite sides of the sun, and the difference there outweighs the difference when they are lined up on the same side.
I learned this fr QI recently. Great piece of trivia!
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You’re still right, though - talking about closest planet on average isn’t very useful, because it’s always going to be the closest planet to the sun. Asking “what planet can get closest to some [Planet]” is more interesting and enlightening.