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Here’s How Long You’d Survive On Each Planet In Our Solar System

For all its issues and faults, Earth is a lovely place. Especially if you compare it with our neighboring planets.

Our favorite astrophysicist, Neil deGrasse Tyson, explains how long you’d survive on other planets in our solar system without a spacesuit (well, to be honest, in most of the planets, spacesuit won’t help you a bit).

Hint: Being anywhere except Earth would be catastrophic. Here they are: (the article continues after the ad)

Sun

Photo: Pexels

How long: Less than a second

Why: “Let’s start with the sun; you would vaporize really, really fast. Not a good place to visit although i’m told if you go at night… well, that’s an old astronomy joke.”

Mercury

Photo: Wikimedia

How long: As long as you can hold your breath

Why: “First planet out is Mercury. The side that faces the sun is very hot (up to 800 °F / 426 °C). There’s another side that does not face the sun that’s really cold. So, if you straddle that zone it’d be like you rotated like in a rotisserie chicken and you would have cold and warm sides of you. You might be able to get the right temperature and survive as long as you could hold your breath.”

Venus

Photo: Wikimedia

How long: Less than a second

Why: “Next one is Venus. With a temperature of 900 °F / 482 °C, it’s hotter than a pizza oven . Oh, by the way, Venus has about the same gravity as Earth so you’d be very familiar walking around until you vaporize.”

Earth

Photo: Wikimedia

How long: About 80 years

Why: “As you know, you don’t have to hold your breath there and you’re good for about 80 years.”

Mars

Photo: Wikimedia

How long: As long as you can hold your breath

Why: “Mars is very cold (-80 °F / -62 °C) but the air is very thin, so the intensity of the cold would not be as biting as it might otherwise feel at that temperature on Earth. If you put on some insulating clothing, you could walk around holding your breath.”

Jupiter

Photo: Wikimedia

How long: Just forget it

Why: “After Mars you get to Jupiter which has no surface for you to land on. You will descend forever into the gaseous atmosphere until you’re crushed by the pressure of the planet’s layers.”

Saturn, Uranus and Neptune

Photos: Wikimedia, Wikimedia, Wikimedia

How long: Just forget it

Why: “The same thing applies to all other gas giants: You’ll descend down to the center and you’ll be crushed by the atmosphere as the atmospheric pressure continue to grow. By the way, Saturn’s rings which look like a solid object are actually particles – frozen water, possibly ammonia, rock etc.”

So, our conclusion: stay on Earth – you can live the longest here!

If you like what you read, then you will definitely love this one: Scientists Now Believe There Is A 9th Planet In Our Solar System That’s Yet To Be Discovered   

Photo: WikimediaNASA
Photoshop: I’m A Useless Info Junkie
Sources: How Long You Can Survive On Each Planet,| How Hot is Mercury? | What is the Temperature of Mars?

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