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Chapter 2: Problem 16

Why is the ecliptic tilted with respect to the celestial equator? Does the Sun appear to move along the ecliptic, the celestial equator, or neither? By about how many degrees does the Sun appear to move on the celestial sphere each day?

Short Answer

Expert verified
The ecliptic is tilted with respect to the celestial equator due to the Earth's axial tilt of about 23.5 degrees. The Sun appears to move along the ecliptic. On a daily basis, the Sun appears to move by approximately 0.9856 degrees on the celestial sphere.

Step by step solution

01

Identify the Ecliptic and Celestial Equator

The ecliptic is the apparent path of the Sun on the celestial sphere over the course of a year as observed from Earth. The celestial equator, on the other hand, is a projection of Earth’s equator onto the celestial sphere. It is tilted relative to the ecliptic by approximately 23.5 degrees. This tilt is due to the axial tilt of the Earth.
02

Sun's Apparent Path

The Sun appears to move along the ecliptic. This is because the ecliptic is defined as the apparent path of the Sun against the background stars as seen from Earth.
03

Calculating the Sun's Daily Movement

To calculate the Sun's daily movement, it's important to know that the Sun moves on the celestial sphere by approximately 360 degrees each year. To convert this annual movement into daily movement, some calculations are needed. Considering that there are roughly 365.25 days in a year, dividing 360 by 365.25 gives approximately 0.9856 degrees. Thus, the Sun appears to move by about 0.9856 degrees on the celestial sphere each day.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

(a) What is the sidereal time when the vernal equinox rises? (b) On what date is the sidereal time nearly equal to the solar time? Explain.

What is the (fictitious) mean sun? What path does it follow on the celestial sphere? Why is it a better timekeeper than the actual Sun in the sky?

Where on Earth do you have to be in order to see the north celestial pole directly overhead? What is the maximum possible elevation of the Sun above the horizon at that location? On what date can this maximum elevation be observed?

What is the right ascension of a star that is on the meridian at midnight at the time of the autumnal equinox? Explain.

Is there any place on Earth where all the visible stars are circumpolar? If so, where? Is there any place on Earth where none of the visible stars is circumpolar? If so, where? Explain your answers.
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