Is the solar system rotating on the same horizontal level or are they rotating in different positions in a 3D sphere around the sun?
In: Physics
As others have said they lie mostly on a horizontal plane. But the implication for us is that from our perspective on Earth, every object in the solar system will travel the same “path” in the sky. This is called the ecliptic. Once you understand the concept it becomes very easy to spot planets and differentiate them from stars.
I think it’s also interesting how you can basically conceptualize the geometry and know where the moon will be in the sky based on it’s current phase. A full moon happens when the moon is on the opposite side of the planet as the sun, so the full moon will begin to “rise” along the ecliptic as the sun is setting.
Latest Answers