Celestial Objects

Earth

Also Known As Terra

Citation Formats

General Reference

Space and Astronomy Atlas. "Earth." Accessed August 30, 2026. https://space.interactiveatlas.org/celestial-objects/earth.

APA Style

Space and Astronomy Atlas. (n.d.). Earth. Retrieved August 30, 2026, from https://space.interactiveatlas.org/celestial-objects/earth

BibTeX

@misc{spaceandastronomyatlas-earth,
  author = {Space and Astronomy Atlas},
  title = {Earth},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://space.interactiveatlas.org/celestial-objects/earth},
  note = {Accessed August 30, 2026}
}

The third planet from the Sun and the only known world to harbor life, with liquid water covering most of its surface and a nitrogen-oxygen atmosphere that shields the surface and supports the biosphere.

Facts

Object Type

Terrestrial planet 1

Diameter (km)

12,742 1

Mass

5.97 x 10^24 kg 1

Orbital Distance

1 AU (about 150 million km) from the Sun, the reference distance the astronomical unit is defined from 1

Cross-Tradition Connections

Orbited By

The Moon

Source NASA Solar System Exploration

Sources

1. NASA Solar System Exploration

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Wikipedia (space and spaceflight articles)

Wikimedia FoundationEarth, Wikipedia - etymology and names section

Quote, Earth, Wikipedia - etymology and names section

The name Terra is occasionally used in scientific writing; it also sees use in science fiction to distinguish humanity's inhabited planet from others

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