The Equinox

The approaching Equinox represents the product of two separate motions
- daily rotation which causes the day and night cycle and the slow
orbital turning of the Earth which brings the rotational axis in line
with the solar radiation/orbital shadow boundary and causes variations
in the daylight/darkness cycle at all points North and South of the
Equator -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwTrYVBcx9s]

The specific way the Earth orbits the Sun should be fascinating for
dynamicists and especially as it represents visual affirmation of
Kepler's view of orbital geometry and motion -

http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/arc...999/11/video/b

The original explanation by Copernicus for seasonal variations has
stood for many centuries,I suggest people treat the matter with the
respect it deserves and recognise just how important the modification
is.If they cannot then just leave it be.

On Sep 19, 9:39*am, oriel36 wrote:
The approaching Equinox represents the product of two separate motions
- daily rotation which causes the day and night cycle and the slow
orbital turning of the Earth which brings the *rotational axis in line
with the solar radiation/orbital shadow boundary and causes variations
in the daylight/darkness cycle at all points North and South of the
Equator -

Yes, this is exactly right. Why do you think today's astronomers are
saying something that contradicts this?

The Earth rotates on its axis. It also moves around the Sun, which
changes the direction from the Earth to the Sun.

So, as a direct consequence of that (and these are things you seem to
dispute), the combination of those two motions gives the 24 hour
average length of the day, and departures of the Earth's motion around
the Sun from a perfect circle in the Earth's equatorial plane -caused
both by the tilt of the Earth's axis to the ecliptic, and the Earth's
orbit being an ellipse - lead to the Equation of Time.

The relation between "the solar radiation/orbital shadow boundary" and
the direction of the Earth's axis changes because the direction of the
Earth's axis, tilted with respect to the Ecliptic, does not change,
but the direction from the Earth to the Sun does change. This is what
causes the seasons.

We know this and do not deny this.

John Savard