As the World Turns

Posted on by

   Today, January 19, the Sun is in two places at one time! The banner for this page was made using an Astronomy program and on this date the program showed that the Sun is entering the Astronomical Zodiacal sign of Capricornus, while according to the pseudoscience, astrology, the Sun is just entering the boundaries of the next constellation to the east – Aquarius. How is this possible?
   As the world turns, so does the sky, or so it appears to us from Earth. Our perspective of the sky is based in part on the Earth’s regular motions. Most of us are familiar with the concepts of rotation and revolution. Not everyone, though, is familiar with the less-perceptible Earth motion of precession. The Earth wobbles about its axis much the way a gyroscope does as it slows down. However, unlike a gyroscope, the Earth spins very slowly and will not stop spinning and topple over.

The Precession Circle

The Precession Circle

   The Earth’s wobbling motion is referred to as precession, or the shifting of the Earth’s axis over time. The wobbling is caused by a combination of its 23.5° axial tilt from the plane of the solar system, and the gravitational pull of the Sun and the other planets back toward the plane of the solar system. Because of the Earth’s rotational spin, it, like a gyroscope, resists outside forces, and does not align itself with the solar system.
   One way to visualize the changes caused by precession is to think about how the position of the Celestial Pole (the point in space directly over the Earth’s North Pole) moves with respect to the background stars. As the Earth precesses, the North Pole traces out a circle in the night skies, as does the South Pole. Presently, the Earth’s North Pole points almost directly towards the star Alpha Ursa Minor, commonly known as Polaris the North Star. Polaris is less than one degree from the North Celestial Pole. However, Polaris has not always been our North Star, nor even our brightest polestar. Several thousands of years ago the Star Thuban, in the constellation Draco the Dragon, was the Pole Star.
   The changing skies Precession is a slow but steady motion. The completion of one cycle takes about 25,800 years. As the Earth precesses, our view of the sky slowly changes, so that after a long period of time, the stars and constellations shift their positions in the skies relative to the Sun.
   Ancient cultures kept track of time by noting the Sun’s position with respect to the constellations. For example, the start of each season was identified by the Sun’s position within a constellation’s boundaries. However, due to precession of the Earth’s axis, this start position has shifted westward at over the centuries and in most instances is an entire constellation west from its position 3,000 years ago.






Position of Sun for Start of Each Season

Season

Constellation

(1000 B.C.)

Constellation

(2000 A.D.)
Spring – March Aries Pisces
Summer – June Cancer Taurus
Fall – September Leo Virgo
Winter – December Capricorn Sagittarius

   
   
Click here to go to the Qué tal in the Current Skies web site for more observing information.

105 thoughts on “As the World Turns”

  1. Pingback: Sun Not In Leo Today | Bob's Spaces

  2. Pingback: Sun Not in Sagittarius Today | Bob's Spaces

  3. Pingback: Sun Not In Capricorn Today | Bob's Spaces

  4. Pingback: Sun Not in Aquarius Today | Bob's Spaces

  5. Pingback: Sun Not in Pisces Today | Bob's Spaces

  6. Pingback: Sun Enters Pisces Today | Bob's Spaces

  7. Pingback: Sun Enters Aries Today | Bob's Spaces

  8. Pingback: Sun Not In TaurusToday | Bob's Spaces

  9. Pingback: Sun Enters Taurus | Bob's Spaces

  10. Pingback: Sun Not In Gemini Today | Bob's Spaces

  11. Pingback: Sun Not In Cancer Today | Bob's Spaces

  12. Pingback: Sun Enters Cancer | Bob's Spaces

  13. Pingback: Sun Not in Leo Today | Bob's Spaces

  14. I see a lot of interesting posts on your blog. You have to spend
    a lot of time writing, i know how to save you a lot of
    time, there is a tool that creates high quality, google friendly articles in couple
    of seconds, just search in google – k2 unlimited content

    Like

    Reply ↓

  15. Pingback: Sun Enters Leo | Bob's Spaces

  16. Pingback: Sun Not In Virgo Today | Bob's Spaces

  18. Simply desire to say your article is as astounding.
    The clarity in your post is just nice and i could assume you’re an expert on this subject.
    Well with your permission let me to grab your
    feed to keep updated with forthcoming post. Thanks a
    million and please continue the rewarding work.

    Like

    Reply ↓

  19. I read a lot of interesting posts here. Probably you spend
    a lot of time writing, i know how to save you a lot of
    work, there is an online tool that creates high quality, google
    friendly articles in seconds, just type in google – laranitas free content source

    Like

    Reply ↓

  20. Great post. I used to be checking continuously this blog and I am inspired!
    Very helpfull information specicically the final phase 🙂 I take
    care of such info a lot. I was seeking this certain info for a very
    long time. Thanks and est of luck.

    Like

    Reply ↓

  21. Pingback: Sun Enters Virgo | Bob's Spaces

  22. Pingback: September 2014 Equinox Sun Is Not In Libra | Bob's Spaces

  23. Reject them if you can enjoy your lovely and provide great results and having everything
    ready for investment. Choosing a company whose Atlanta roofing to consider is hiring experienced and reliable.

    Like

    Reply ↓

  24. Include photos or clip art that matches what you get’ editors available out there
    that can easily create a website from scratch. Since the game in the conventional way differ only
    web design slightly. Have you ever wondered how webpages are built with original objects and
    elements of the jQuery website which can require some give and get involved.
    Make your business premises from web design cardboard and then animating this in the form works.

    Like

    Reply ↓

  25. Pingback: Sun Enters Libra | Bob's Spaces

  26. Pingback: Sun Not In Sagittarius | Bob's Spaces

  27. Pingback: Sun Enters Scorpius | Bob's Spaces

  28. Pingback: Ophiuchus Gets a Hotfoot! | Bob's Spaces

  29. Pingback: Sun Enters Sagittarius | Bob's Spaces

  30. Pingback: Sun Not in Capricornus aka the December Solstice | Bob's Spaces

  31. Pingback: Sun Not in Aquarius | Bob's Spaces

  33. I do agree with all the ideas you have offered in your post.
    They are very convincing and can definitely work.

    Nonetheless, the posts are too brief for newbies.
    May just you please extend them a little from subsequent time?
    Thank you for the post.

    Like

    Reply ↓

  34. Pingback: Garcinia Gambogia | The John Scuderi Sports and Stuff Blog

  35. Pingback: Sun Not in Pisces | Bob's Spaces

  36. Pingback: Sun Enters Picses | Bob's Spaces

  37. Pingback: Sun Enters Aries | Bob's Spaces

  38. Pingback: Sun Not in Taurus | Bob's Spaces

  39. Pingback: Sun Not in Gemini | Bob's Spaces

  40. Pingback: Sun Not in Cancer | Bob's Spaces

  41. Pingback: Sun Enters Gemini | Bob's Spaces

  42. Pingback: Sun Enters Cancer – 2015 | Bob's Spaces

  43. Pingback: Sun Not in Leo | Bob's Spaces

  44. Pingback: Sun Enters Leo | Bob's Spaces

  45. Pingback: Sun Not in Virgo | Bob's Spaces

  46. Pingback: Sun Enters Virgo | Bob's Spaces

  47. Pingback: The September Equinox of 2015: BTW, The Sun Is Not In Libra | Bob's Spaces

  48. Pingback: Sun Not in Scorpius | Bob's Spaces

  49. Pingback: Sun Not in Sagittarius | Bob's Spaces

  50. Pingback: Sun Enters Scorpius | Bob's Spaces

  51. Pingback: Sun Enters Sagittarius | Bob's Spaces

  52. Pingback: Sun Not in Capricornus but it is the December Solstice | Bob's Spaces

  53. Excellent pieces. Keep posting such kind of info on your page.

    Im really impressed by your blog.
    Hi there, You have performed an excellent job. I’ll certainly digg it and in my view
    recommend to my friends. I’m confident they will be benefited from this website.

    Like

    Reply ↓

  54. Pingback: Sun Enters Pisces | Bob's Spaces

  55. Pingback: Sun Not In Leo | Bob's Spaces

  56. Pingback: Sun Not In Virgo | Bob's Spaces

  57. Pingback: Sun Enters Virgo | Bob's Spaces

  58. Pingback: 2016 September Equinox | Bob's Spaces

  59. Pingback: Sun Not in Scorpius | Bob's Spaces

  60. Pingback: Sun Enters Libra | Bob's Spaces

  61. Pingback: Sun Is Not In Sagittarius | Bob's Spaces

  62. Pingback: Sun Enters Scorpius-2016 | Bob's Spaces

  63. Pingback: Sun Enters Sagittarius | Bob's Spaces

  64. Pingback: Sun Not in Capricornus but it is the 2016 December Solstice | Bob's Spaces

  65. Pingback: Sun Enters Picses | Bob's Spaces

  66. Pingback: Sun Not in Taurus | Bob's Spaces

  67. Pingback: Sun Does Not Enter Gemini | Bob's Spaces

  68. Pingback: Sun Enters Cancer | Bob's Spaces

  69. Pingback: Sun Enters Leo | Bob's Spaces

  70. Pingback: Sun Enters Virgo-2017 | Bob's Spaces

  71. Pingback: 2017 September Equinox | Bob's Spaces

  72. Pingback: Sun Not in Sagittarius | Bob's Spaces

  73. Pingback: Sun Enters Scorpius | Bob's Spaces

  74. Pingback: Sun Not in Capricornus, but it is the 2017 December Solstice | Bob's Spaces

  75. Pingback: Sun Not in Pisces | Bob's Spaces

  76. Pingback: Sun Enters Pisces | Bob's Spaces

  77. Pingback: Sun Enters Astronomical Sign of Aries | Bob's Spaces

  78. Pingback: Sun Not in astrological Sign of Taurus | Bob's Spaces

  79. Pingback: Sun Not Really in Gemini | Bob's Spaces

  80. Pingback: Sun Does Enter Cancer the Crab | Bob's Spaces

  81. Pingback: Sun is Not in Leo the Lion | Bob's Spaces

  82. Pingback: Sun Not Really in Virgo | Bob's Spaces

  83. Pingback: Sun Enters Virgo | Bob's Spaces

  84. Pingback: September Equinox – 2018 | Bob's Spaces

  85. Pingback: Sun Enters Libra | Bob's Spaces

  86. Pingback: Sun Not in Sagittarius | Bob's Spaces

  87. Pingback: 2018 December Solstice | Bob's Spaces

  88. Pingback: Sun Not In Pisces-2019 | Bob's Spaces

  89. Pingback: Sun Enters Pisces – 2019 | Bob's Spaces

  90. Pingback: Sun Enters Aries | Bob's Spaces

  91. Pingback: Sun Not in Taurus | Bob's Spaces

  92. Pingback: Sun Enters Taurus | Bob's Spaces

  93. Pingback: Sun Enters Cancer – 2019 | Bob's Spaces

  94. Pingback: Sun Not in Cancer | Bob's Spaces

  95. Pingback: Sun Enters Leo the Lion | Bob's Spaces

  96. Pingback: Sun Does Enter Virgo – 2019 | Bob's Spaces

  97. Pingback: September Equinox – 2019 | Bob's Spaces

  98. Pingback: Sun Not in Scorpius – 2019 | Bob's Spaces

  99. Pingback: Sun Does Enter Libra – 2019 | Bob's Spaces

  100. Pingback: Sun Does Not Enter Sagittarius | Bob's Spaces

  101. Pingback: Sun Does Enter Scorpius | Bob's Spaces

  102. Pingback: Sun Does Enter Sagittarius | Bob's Spaces

  103. Pingback: December Solstice – 2019 | Bob's Spaces

  104. Pingback: Sun Does Not Enter Pisces-2020 | Bob's Spaces

  105. Pingback: Sun Does Enter Pisces – 2020 | Bob's Spaces

Leave a Reply

Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in:

Gravatar
WordPress.com Logo

You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. ( Log Out /  Change )

Google photo

You are commenting using your Google account. ( Log Out /  Change )

Twitter picture

You are commenting using your Twitter account. ( Log Out /  Change )

Facebook photo

You are commenting using your Facebook account. ( Log Out /  Change )

Cancel

Connecting to %s

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.