Today the beginning of astronomical winter – rmf24.pl

O h. 23.04 our time the sun reaches the lowest point of the celestial equator, in the sign of Capricorn join. Thus, the astronomical winter begins.

Photo. Illustrative

/ Archive RMF FM

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The Earth’s solar orbit in space plane determines that astronomers call the ecliptic. The ecliptic is projected onto the starry sky crosses the 13 constellations of the 12 zodiacal constellations well-known constellation Ophiuchus and. It is in these thirteen constellations you can watch the sun throughout the year.

If the planet’s rotation axis is inclined at an angle of 90 degrees to the ecliptic, we would not have seasons. On each day of latitude would last forever just as long, and the sun always towered on one side and a certain amount. This is the situation, for example, on Mercury.

The axis of rotation of the Earth, however, creates a 66.5 degree angle of the ecliptic, so that the planet’s changing seasons are caused by the different lengths of the day and change the maximum height of the sun above the horizon.

Due to the inclination of the Earth’s rotation axis to the ecliptic, the ecliptic makes an angle of 23.5 degrees from the celestial equator (the projection of Earth’s equator on the celestial sphere). The sun can therefore be between 23.5 degrees in the celestial equator to 23.5 degrees over it. In the first case, in the northern hemisphere, our daily star is staying very briefly on the horizon, and we call it the winter solstice or the beginning of astronomical winter. Six months later, we have a second chance. There is the summer solstice, the sun stays above the horizon longest thereby starting the astronomical summer.

This year, the lowest at the equator the sun will be exactly at December 21. 23.04. We then join the daily star sign Capricorn and start the same astronomical winter.

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