<P> The tangential speed of Earth's rotation at a point on Earth can be approximated by multiplying the speed at the equator by the cosine of the latitude . For example, the Kennedy Space Center is located at latitude 28.59 ° N, which yields a speed of: cos 28.59 ° × 1,674.4 km / h (1,040.4 mph; 465.1 m / s) = 1,470.23 km / h (913.56 mph; 408.40 m / s) </P> <P> The Earth's rotation axis moves with respect to the fixed stars (inertial space); the components of this motion are precession and nutation . It also moves with respect to the Earth's crust; this is called polar motion . </P> <P> Precession is a rotation of the Earth's rotation axis, caused primarily by external torques from the gravity of the Sun, Moon and other bodies . The polar motion is primarily due to free core nutation and the Chandler wobble . </P> <P> Over millions of years, the Earth's rotation slowed significantly by tidal acceleration through gravitational interactions with the Moon . In this process, angular momentum is slowly transferred to the Moon at a rate proportional to r − 6 (\ displaystyle r ^ (- 6)), where r (\ displaystyle r) is the orbital radius of the Moon . This process gradually increased the length of day to its current value and resulted in the Moon being tidally locked with the Earth . </P>

The earth takes hours to rotate once on its axis