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Solstice and EPIC



 
 
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  #1  
Old December 6th 17, 08:04 AM posted to sci.astro.amateur
Gerald Kelleher
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Default Solstice and EPIC

https://epic.gsfc.nasa.gov/

The area around the South pole is now in full view while its Northern counterpart is entirely absent. Far removed from the usual graphics with a 'pole' sticking out of the 90° S, the image draws attention to the surface rotation parallel to the orbital plane which brings the Antarctic continent into view as a consequence of the Earth's forward motion through space and around the Sun.

  #2  
Old December 14th 17, 10:43 PM posted to sci.astro.amateur
Gerald Kelleher
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Default Solstice and EPIC

Around this time next week it will be Polar noon at the South Pole and Polar midnight at the North pole as those locations exist midway to the circle of illumination and the area without the Sun totally in view or in view is at its maximum.

https://www.usap.gov/videoclipsandmaps/spwebcam.cfm

https://epic.gsfc.nasa.gov/

I can't imagine anyone passing through life would choose to ignore the scenery provided by spacecraft or human habitation at the South Pole, at least not without feeling a loss of what it means to be human and the ability to reason like no other creature on the planet.




  #3  
Old December 18th 17, 06:16 AM posted to sci.astro.amateur
Gerald Kelleher
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Default Solstice and EPIC

It is such a lovely thing to do in explaining the orbital surface rotation of our planet using a straightforward analogy using nothing more that a broom handle and walking/orbiting an object representing the Sun.

Daily rotation is subtracted but its orientation is retained by keeping the broom handle pointing in the same direction to an external reference much like Polaris represents this feature on a planetary scale -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYy0EQBnqHI

In terms of our analogy, presently on the December Solstice, our backs would face the central object/Sun whereas in 6 months on the June Solstice the front of our bodies face the same center. The analogy demonstrates that when daily rotation is subtracted the entire surface of the Earth turns once to the Sun and parallel to the orbital plane.

Looking at the existing explanations for the Solstice events this week will appear drab with various descriptions of a tilting Earth but the actual explanation is exciting as it is a point of departure for so many areas of research.

 




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