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Chapter 2: Problem 7

What is the celestial equator? How is it related to the Earth's equator? How are the north and south celestial poles related to the Earth's axis of rotation?

Short Answer

Expert verified
The celestial equator is the projection of the Earth’s equator onto the celestial sphere and divides the sky into two parts, just like the Earth's equator does on Earth. The North and South Celestial Poles align with Earth's axis of rotation and are the imaginative extension of Earth’s poles. These poles provide the illusion that stars are rotating around them as the Earth rotates on its axis.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding the Celestial Equator and its relation to Earth's Equator

The celestial equator is an imaginary line in the sky and is basically the Earth’s equator projected onto the celestial sphere. It is directly above the Earth's equator and shares the same plane. The celestial equator divides the sky into the northern and southern hemispheres, exactly the same way that the Earth's equator divides the Earth into northern and southern halves. Both parts of the celestial equator contain an equal amount of sky and stars.
02

Understanding the North and South celestial poles

The North and South Celestial Poles are the projections of the Earth's North and South Poles onto the celestial sphere. If one imagines a line passing through the Earth's poles and extending out into space, these lines would touch the celestial sphere at the North and South Celestial poles.
03

Draw the relation between celestial poles and Earth's axis of rotation

The North and South Celestial Poles are in line with the Earth's axis of rotation. This means that as the Earth rotates, the celestial sphere appears to rotate around these fixed points. To an observer on Earth, it appears that the stars revolve around these points. The Celestial Poles are always visible (clouds and daylight permitting), as they are in a fixed location relative to the Earth's rotation.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

What are the vernal and the autumnal equinoxes? What are the summer and winter solstices? How are these four points related to the ecliptic and the celestial equator?

Some people say that on the date that the Sun is at the vernal equinox, and only on this date, you can stand a raw egg on end. Others say that there is nothing special about the vernal equinox, and that with patience you can stand a raw egg on end on any day of the year. Search the World Wide Web for information about this story and for hints about how to stand an egg on end. Use these hints to try the experiment yourself on a day when the Sun is not at the vernal equinox. What do you conclude about the connection between eggs and equinoxes?

In the northern hemisphere, houses are designed to have "southern exposure," that is, with the largest windows on the southern side of the house. But in the southern hemisphere houses are designed to have "northern exposure." Why are houses designed this way, and why is there a difference between the hemispheres?

Unlike western Europe, Imperial Russia did not use the revised calendar instituted by Pope Gregory XIII. Explain why the Russian Revolution, which started on November 7, 1917, according to the modern calendar, is called "the October revolution" in Russia. What was this date according to the Russian calendar at the time? Explain.

Is there any place on Earth where you could see the north celestial pole on the northern horizon? If so, where? Is there any place on Earth where you could see the north celestial pole on the western horizon? If so, where? Explain your answers.
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