Which is the closest planet to Earth?

[lukebl]

So which planet is closest to Earth? Venus, of course.

WRONG! On average, 46% of the time Mercury is the closest planet, Venus 36% of the time, and Mars 18%.

Fascinating fact courtesy of the BBC World Service.

[johnturley]

I think what most people usually mean is actually which planet comes closest to the earth.

John

[Carbon Brush]

Alernatively, which planet is closest to earth today?

I did a variant of this years ago for a quiz question. When Pluto was still a 'proper' planet but inside Neptune's orbit.

[lukebl]

Or, more subtly, 'Which planet is, generally, closest to Earth?'

[Stub Mandrel]

I heard that, it was interesting stuff.

[John]

That question was in our society xmas quiz this year. The answer was Mercury.

 

[michael8554]

Or which planet's orbit is closest to earth's orbit ?

Michael 

[oobydooby]

The question should be which planets orbit of the sun is closest to that of Earth's orbit of the sun.

[Can always make it better]

On 21/01/2019 at 09:20, johnturley said:

I think what most people usually mean is actually which planet comes closest to the earth.

John

I watched part of a game show (in the USA) where the contestant lost a few hundred thousand dollars for saying that the planet that comes closest to Earth was Venus. The show's answer was Mars, which was incorrect of course. No one batted an eyelid or contested the answer on the show. I knew immediately the show's answer was incorrect and the man was wrongly stripped of his winnings. It seems no one of the younger generations is expected to think for themselves these days (in the US) and prefer to be told what is true without question. It's much easier than thinking for oneself.

[VNA]

1 hour ago, Can always make it better said:

It seems no one of the younger generations is expected to think for themselves these days (in the US) and prefer to be told what is true without question. It's much easier than thinking for oneself.

Unfortunately almost half of the population in the US think the earth is only 6,000 years old!