Answer to Question #347392 in Astronomy | Astrophysics for Sugarplum,

Question

The orbital time of Neptune around the Sun is 165 Earth years and its orbital path is 30 times longer than that of the Earth.

a) Calculate the orbital speed of Neptune relative to the Earth. orbital speed

b) State how the speed of travel of Neptune compares with that of the Earth.

Answer 1

$v_2=\frac{30\cdot 2\pi a}{T_2}=1.14~\frac{au}y,$

$v_1=\frac{2\pi a}{T_1}=6.28~\frac {au}y,$

$\frac{v_1}{v_2}=5.5.$