answersLogoWhite

0


Best Answer

They rotate counterclockwise, looked atfrom an imaginary pointabove the Earth'snorth pole. That's the same directionas the Sun.

User Avatar

Wiki User

11y ago
This answer is:
User Avatar
More answers
User Avatar

Wiki User

11y ago

Counterclockwise, observed from above our north pole.

This answer is:
User Avatar

Add your answer:

Earn +20 pts
Q: Most planets rotate on their axes in what direction?
Write your answer...
Submit
Still have questions?
magnify glass
imp
Continue Learning about Astronomy

What are 3 distinctive characteristics of orbit of planet and moon in the solar system?

1). They orbit in the same around the sun, and as the sun. 2). Orbits of planets and their larger moons are in just about the same plane. 3). Almost all planets and moons rotate on their axes in the same direction as the planets orbit the sun.


How long does it take mars to make a full rotation around the sun?

Mars does not rotate around the Sun. It revolves around the Sun. It takes Mars about 687 Earth days for Mars to revolve once around the Sun.Planets and moons rotate about their own axes, but they revolve around the Sun (for planets) or (for moons) other planets.


Which direction does the Earth rotate around the Sun?

The Earth rotates counterclockwise when you look down its axis of rotation from the North Pole. As the Earth revolves around the Sun, it turns counterclockwise when you look down the its axis of rotation from the north. The Sun rotates with its equator inclined only 7.25 degrees to the Earth's orbit, and most of the other planets' equators are tipped less than 30 degrees. Apparently, the preferred direction of motion in the Solar System is counterclockwise as seen from the north. All the planets revolve counterclockwise around the Sun, and, with the exception of Venus and Uranus, they rotate counterclockwise on their axes.


What is the definition of a retrograde rotation?

Retrograde means - sort of - backwards. To understand forward and backward, however, we need to understand the point of reference...The planets (and asteroids and comets, etc.) revolve around the Sun. We arbitrarily called the revolution of the Earth around the Sun counter clockwise, meaning that the path is reverse that of a clock face, when you look down on the plane of the ecliptic (the path of the Earth around the Sun) from a position that is in the direction of the north pole star, or Polaris.Using that same perspective, i.e. looking down from celestial north, we observe that most of the planets also rotate about their own axes in a counter clockwise direction. That is why the Sun appears to rise in the East and set in the West.Six of the eight planets, Mercury, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and Neptune, have this "normal" counter clockwise rotation. Each planet's axis is also tilted in varying degrees to the ecliptic, but you can still consider them to be rotating counter clockwise.Two of the planets, however, Venus and Uranus, have what we call retrograde rotation. This means that, when viewed from celestial north, they rotate clockwise, instead of counter clockwise. Their revolution (or orbit) around the Sun is still counter clockwise, but their rotation around their own axes is clockwise. That is retrograde rotation.


Does the moon rotate in the same direction as earth?

Earth and Neptune both spin anti-clockwise when viewed from above the Solar System. However, Uranus appears to spin clockwise, because its axis is tipped over by more than 90 degrees (98, in fact.) This is probably because a large object, perhaps a planet the size of Earth, knocked into it early in its history and tipped it over in its orbit.

Related questions

Which planet rotate on in axis?

All the planets rotate on their axes and it would be a very unusual thing to find a planet that did not rotate.


Do planets orbit the sun?

Yes. The Sun in turn orbits the galaxy. Planets and the Sun also rotate on their axes.


Do gas planets rotate around their axes faster than rock ones?

They go faster


What are 3 distinctive characteristics of orbit of planet and moon in the solar system?

1). They orbit in the same around the sun, and as the sun. 2). Orbits of planets and their larger moons are in just about the same plane. 3). Almost all planets and moons rotate on their axes in the same direction as the planets orbit the sun.


Do all planets axes point in the same direction as Earth's?

no uranus spins side ways


Do all planets stay in one place or do they revolve in orbit?

The planets turn about their axes (rotate), and move in orbits about the sun (revolve). They are all in dynamic motion all the time. Welcome to the music of the spheres. Planets (all of them) are continually in motion. They all revolve on their axes and move about the sun in their orbits. This is the music of the spheres.


Is there a north pole and a south pole on mars?

Yes. All of the planets, which spin on their own axes, have a north and a south pole.To my knowledge, Earth is the only planet upon which axes may be found. I do believe that all planets that rotate around their axis have a north and south pole.


Does the moon and the sun rotate on its axes?

zdngfetjEtetnjeatj


What is the difference between a planet's rotation and its revolution?

The planets rotate around their rotational axes and revolve around the sun.


How long does it take mars to make a full rotation around the sun?

Mars does not rotate around the Sun. It revolves around the Sun. It takes Mars about 687 Earth days for Mars to revolve once around the Sun.Planets and moons rotate about their own axes, but they revolve around the Sun (for planets) or (for moons) other planets.


What is synchronous reference frame?

It has been shown that the speed of rotation of the d.q axes can be arbitrary although there are three preferred speeds or reference frames as follows: (a) the stationary reference frame when the d,q axes do not rotate; (b) the synchronously rotating reference frame when the d,q axes rotate at synchronous speed; (c) the rotor reference frame when the d,q axes rotate at rotor speed.


Which direction does the Earth rotate around the Sun?

The Earth rotates counterclockwise when you look down its axis of rotation from the North Pole. As the Earth revolves around the Sun, it turns counterclockwise when you look down the its axis of rotation from the north. The Sun rotates with its equator inclined only 7.25 degrees to the Earth's orbit, and most of the other planets' equators are tipped less than 30 degrees. Apparently, the preferred direction of motion in the Solar System is counterclockwise as seen from the north. All the planets revolve counterclockwise around the Sun, and, with the exception of Venus and Uranus, they rotate counterclockwise on their axes.