The Planet Newton Didn't Predict

Interesting book review on Ars Technica:

http://arstechnica.com/science/2015/...issing-planet/

John Savard

On 11/14/15 2:57 PM, Quadibloc wrote:
Interesting book review on Ars Technica:

http://arstechnica.com/science/2015/...issing-planet/

John Savard


Thanks.

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On Saturday, November 14, 2015 at 10:08:07 PM UTC, Sam Wormley wrote:
On 11/14/15 2:57 PM, Quadibloc wrote:
Interesting book review on Ars Technica:

http://arstechnica.com/science/2015/...issing-planet/

John Savard


Thanks.

--

sci.physics is an unmoderated newsgroup dedicated
to the discussion of physics, news from the physics
community, and physics-related social issues.

Last year I introduced the first modification since Copernicus in discerning the major inputs which differentiate the motion of the Earth around the Sun along with the outer planets as distinct from the motion of the Earth around the Sun using a different perspective for the inner planets. It means you can,for the first time, stand in front of your students and teach them something they can use.


The motion of the Earth along with the outer planets is straightforward enough and represents that wonderful achievement of Copernicus where the planets temporarily fall behind in view as the faster moving Earth overtakes them.

http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap011220.html

Relative speeds don't operate for the inner planets as their observed motion around the Sun. In this case the Earth's slower orbital input in limited to setting the Sun up as a central reference for the observed motions of Venus and Mercury. To stall the Sun and make it a central component for the orbital motion of all planets requires the perceptual shift of the Sun through the background field of stars, a view favored by the original heliocentric astronomers, to the more appropriate line-of-sight motion of the stars behind the Sun as the Earth moves through space.

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


Once the Sun becomes stationary from this point of view, the phases of Venus open up like a gorgeous flower for what they are -

http://www.popastro.com/images/plane...ary%202012.jpg

While retrogrades are present with Venus and Mercury, the major observations for observers and especially interested students is the transition of Venus from an twilight observation to a dawn observation as it overtakes the Earth in its faster motion around the Sun.

I know it must be frightening to know more than the relativists who couldn't understand Newton's absolute/relative terminology surrounding the Equation of Time ( it should really be called the Equation of Timekeeping because of the nonsense empiricists imposed on it).

My concern is raising the standards using modern tools which allow students the opportunity to discern the difference between the motion of the inner and outer planets and what role the Earth's own orbital motion supplies to the different perspectives. There is no reason why the modification shouldn't be welcomed using relative speeds for the outer planets and a nuanced approach for the inner planets. It is the job of teachers to instruct their students in an honest and impartial way and not act out wishful thinking because nobody is around to notice these things.