The speed of a planet in the solar system depends on its distance from the Sun and its orbital period. Here are five planets that are among the fastest in the solar system, listed in order of their average orbital speed.
Mercury: Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun and has the shortest orbital period, completing one orbit in about 88 Earth days. Due to its proximity to the Sun, Mercury travels at an average orbital speed of approximately 47.87 kilometers per second (29.64 miles per second), making it the fastest planet in the solar system.
Venus: Venus is the second planet from the Sun and has an orbital period of about 225 Earth days. Although Venus is closer to the Sun than Earth, its dense atmosphere slows down its orbital speed. Venus travels at an average speed of approximately 35.02 kilometers per second (21.76 miles per second).
Earth: Earth is the third planet from the Sun and has an orbital period of about 365.25 days. Earth travels at an average speed of approximately 29.78 kilometers per second (18.49 miles per second) as it orbits the Sun.
Mars: Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun and has an orbital period of about 687 Earth days. Mars travels at an average speed of approximately 24.07 kilometers per second (14.96 miles per second) as it orbits the Sun.
Jupiter: Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system and has an orbital period of about 11.86 Earth years. Despite its greater distance from the Sun, Jupiter's massive size and gravitational pull enable it to travel at a relatively high speed. Jupiter travels at an average speed of approximately 13.07 kilometers per second (8.12 miles per second).
These are the average speeds that have been determined based on the distances that the planets are from the Sun and the orbital periods that they have.
A number of factors, including gravitational interactions with other celestial bodies, can cause actual speeds to vary slightly from those predicted.
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