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Chapter 2: Problem 7

Which is not true on the vernal and autumnal equinoxes? a. Every place on Earth has 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness. b. The Sun rises due east and sets due west. c. The Sun is located on the celestial equator. d. The motion of the stars in the sky is different than on other days.

Short Answer

Expert verified
d. The motion of the stars in the sky is different than on other days.

Step by step solution

01

Identify True Statements about Equinoxes

First, understand what is true about equinoxes. During the vernal and autumnal equinoxes: 1. Every place on Earth has approximately 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness. This makes statement (a) true. 2. The Sun rises due east and sets due west. This makes statement (b) true. 3. The Sun is located on the celestial equator. This makes statement (c) true.
02

Evaluate the Remaining Statement

Now, consider statement (d): 'The motion of the stars in the sky is different than on other days.' The motion of the stars is not specifically different on the equinoxes compared to other days; the primary changes involve daylight duration and the Sun's position.
03

Determine the Incorrect Statement

Since the motion of the stars does not change distinctly on the equinoxes, statement (d) is incorrect.

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

vernal equinox
The vernal equinox occurs around March 20th or 21st every year, marking the beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. During this time, the Sun is directly above the celestial equator, leading to nearly equal hours of daylight and darkness everywhere on Earth.
This heralds a time of new beginnings and is often associated with various cultural celebrations and rituals.
autumnal equinox
The autumnal equinox takes place around September 22nd or 23rd, signaling the start of fall in the Northern Hemisphere. Similar to the vernal equinox, the Sun is positioned directly above the celestial equator.

This results in roughly 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of night globally. During the autumnal equinox, many cultures celebrate harvest festivals, recognizing the shift from summer's abundance to the preparation for winter.
celestial equator
The celestial equator is an imaginary extension of Earth's equator onto the celestial sphere. Think of it as the Earth's equator projected out into space.
During both equinoxes, the Sun crosses this invisible line. This crossing is significant because it means that the tilt of Earth's axis does not favor either the Northern or Southern Hemisphere, resulting in equal day and night duration worldwide.
daylight duration
Daylight duration refers to the length of time that the Sun is above the horizon. On the equinoxes, the length of day and night is almost equal, about 12 hours each.
This near equality occurs because the Sun is positioned directly above the celestial equator. After the vernal equinox, days become longer than nights until the autumnal equinox, after which nights become longer until the next vernal equinox.
sunrise and sunset positions
During the equinoxes, the Sun rises exactly in the east and sets exactly in the west. This phenomenon is unique to the equinoxes due to the Sun's position relative to the celestial equator.
On other days of the year, the positions of sunrise and sunset shift either north or south, depending on the season. The equinoxes offer a perfect alignment, leading to notable cultural and observational significance.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

There is an angle between the ecliptic and the celestial equator because a. Earth's axis is tilted with respect to its orbit. b. Earth's orbit is tilted with respect to the orbits of other planets. c. the Sun follows a rising and falling path through space. d. the Sun's orbit is tilted with respect to Earth's.

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