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http://star-www.st-and.ac.uk/~fv/webnotes/chapter9.htm
Positional Astronomy:
Ecliptic coordinates
{Note: If your browser does not distinguish between "a,b" and ", " (the Greek letters "alpha, beta") then I am afraid you will not be able to make much sense of the equations on this page.}
The reason the Sun behaves this way is that the Earth's axis is tilted to its orbital plane.
The angle of tilt is +2326', which is called the obliquity of the ecliptic (symbol ).
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2 of 4
http://star-www.st-and.ac.uk/~fv/webnotes/chapter9.htm
The Sun passes through this point around March 21st each year.
This is the point from which R.A. is measured, so here RA = 0h.
At RA = 12h, the descending node is called the autumnal equinox;
the Sun passes through this point around September 23rd each year.
At both these points, the Sun is on the equator,
and spends 12 hours above horizon and 12 hours below.
("Equinox" means "equal night": night equal to day.)
The symbols used for the spring and autumn equinoxes,
are the astrological symbols for Aries and Libra.
and
The most northerly point of the ecliptic is called (in the northern hemisphere)
the Summer Solstice (RA = 6h):
the Sun passes through this point around June 21st each year.
The most southerly point is the Winter Solstice (RA = 18h);
the Sun passes through this point around December 21st each year.
At the northern Summer Solstice, the northern hemisphere of Earth is tipped towards Sun,
giving longer hours of daylight and warmer weather
(despite the fact that Earth's slightly elliptical orbit takes it furthest from the Sun in July!)
Thus the Sun's motion is simple when referred to the ecliptic;
also the Moon and the planets move near to the ecliptic.
So the ecliptic system is sometimes more useful than the equatorial system for solar-system objects.
Exercise:
The Moons orbit is tilted at 58' to the ecliptic.
What is the lowest latitude from which the Moon may never set (the Moons arctic circle)?
Would the Moon always be circumpolar, at this latitude?
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3 of 4
http://star-www.st-and.ac.uk/~fv/webnotes/chapter9.htm
Exercise:
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4 of 4
http://star-www.st-and.ac.uk/~fv/webnotes/chapter9.htm
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