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Old March 17th 19, 10:23 PM posted to sci.astro.amateur
Gerald Kelleher
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Default The long shadows

There are a number of helpful approaches that makes it easier for people to arrive at the surface rotation as a function of the orbital motion of the Earth.

A more productive approach is that one hemisphere of the Earth constantly faces the same direction in space so that it must turn to the Sun as a consequence of this orbital motion, this face is demarcated by the circle of illumination. In this respect, it is easier to drop the broom analogy and walk around an object representing the Sun so that all sides of the body face the object/Sun during an orbital circuit. It really doesn't need further qualification but opens up a whole new set of principles which incorporate compound motions - the planets around the Sun and the planets and the Sun moving in one direction in space.

I regret there really isn't a platform to expand on this approach rather than pointing out deficiencies in existing academic structures but I am hopeful it will eventually surface in more responsible circles.