Fact of the Day: 28/12/2020
How thick is our planet’s atmosphere? The answer is technically more complex than you’d think.
If you’re referring to the extent to which the air molecules in our atmosphere have any important effects (i.e. where the atmosphere is most concentrated), then it extends for about 60 miles from Earth’s surface (a little less than the distance from Trenton, New Jersey, to Manhattan, New York).
If you’re referring to the actual extent of the outer atmospheric layers, regardless of practical effects, then our atmosphere extends far above 240 mi from sea level. The exosphere, the furthermost layer, continues into space and eventually merges with the Sun’s atmosphere.
For spaceships orbiting Earth, though, the main concern is the concentrated portion of the atmosphere – that’s why the International Space Station can orbit about 250 mi above Earth’s surface without having to worry much about atmospheric drag. Check out this link for more on the atmosphere.
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