On May 1, 1:09*am, oriel36 wrote:

I have explained thousands of times that the words 'average' and
'constant' are interchangeable

And, there you are. They are NOT.

With respect to the Sun, the Earth rotates at an average of once every
24 hours. Because the Earth's rotation is not in the plane of the
ecliptic, but inclined to it by an angle of about 23 1/2 degrees, and
because it orbits the Sun in an ellipse following Kepler's laws, not
in a perfect circle at uniform speed, the return of the Sun to the
meridian at any one location does not quite take place at a constant
period of 24 hours, but rather is affected by the Equation of Time.

An average, but not a constant.

But with respect to the fixed stars - except for very small and subtle
effects due to seasonal changes in the winds, which are explained by
the conservation of angular momentum - the return of a star to the
meridian takes place at a constant 23 hours, 56 minutes and 4 seconds.

A constant, not merely an average.

Something that actually takes place every 23 hours, 56 minutes, and 4
seconds.

Something that we might wish would take place every 24 hours, because
life would be simpler, but actually over the course of a year takes
place about 15 minutes earlier or later compared to the average time
it takes place.

Which one is simpler and more uniform? Which one is more basic, and
makes more sense for using to understand planetary dynamics?

Obviously, the former, not the latter. No matter how much you, with
your wishful thinking, try to say it is the other way around.

Apparently because we should just admire the beauty of the Universe,
and not make any effort trying to break down planetary motions into
their components so we can really understand them, and apply
mathematics to them.

An intellectual disaster that guides astronomers away from productive
channels of work? Don't blame Newton and Flamsteed. You're the one
doing his best to bring one about.

And your efforts are pathetic because no one is fooled. This is why I,
and others, plead and beg with you to instead turn some of your
efforts into examining why you may be wrong, and being willing to
think and to learn. You are not trying to cause harm; you genuinely
believe you are the one voice speaking out for truth in astronomy.
This is tragic, even if you are the only one hurt by the tragedy.

John Savard