– How is it possible that the sun rises at the same time (7:50) from December 27th through January 8th in Portland, OR?
In: 1
The orbital mechanics aren’t geometrically perfect like they would be in a math problem. Working it all out takes extra work, and the results aren’t evenly spaced.
Two variables that count the most:
1. The Earth’s orbit around the Sun is elliptical and not perfectly circular.
2. The Earth’s axis is not perpendicular to the plane of the orbit.
Taken together, these variables end up contributing to variations that make sunrise and sunset occur at uneven intervals between days.
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