Has anyone ever considered that the universe orbits earth after all? I mean, what’s the point of reference? Isn’t that the pertinent fact? Why can’t we consider the Earth fixed and all of creation “orbiting” our planet, more or less?
“I mean, what’s the point of reference? Isn’t that the pertinent fact? Why can’t we consider the Earth fixed and all of creation “orbiting” our planet, more or less?”
According to relativity, there is no universal frame of reference. You can pick whatever frame of reference is convenient for your purposes, as long as you are consistent.
So it’s no more correct to say that the earth revolves around the sun than it is to say the sun revolves around the earth. Either one can be true, depending on the frame of reference you choose.
As long as you’re not trying to get things from earth to not earth sure, whatever frame of reference you want. As soon as you’re trying to get things to somewhere else though the reality that we are very much not fixed matters a lot.
Earth is not an inertial reference frame.
Albert Einstein said almost precisely that in his theory of general relativity, it all depends upon frame of reference; the one is no more valid than the other. Of course, observing this will earn you all manner of wild accusations of being somehow unscientific.
Yes I have and used it in “friendly” argument with various people. It should be emphasized more. Frames of reference are good enough for Einstein after all.
That our Earth is objectively rotating is indisputable, supported by much evidence including Coriolis effect, etc.
We can easily explain the motions of the other heavenly objects if we assume a fixed earth and limit ourselves to their motion relative to us. But when you start trying to explain their motion relative to each other, if you asume a fixed earth it quickly becomes untenable. Copernicus debunked the earth-centric universe in the 16th century.
Actually, every point in the universe is the center of the universe.
“Has anyone ever considered that the universe orbits earth after all? I mean, what’s the point of reference? Isn’t that the pertinent fact?”
No.
” Why can’t we consider the Earth fixed and all of creation “orbiting” our planet, more or less?”
Because orbits are explained in terms of gravity, the main influence on the Earth being the Sun, which it orbits. The entire solar system is in a much larger orbit around the center of the Milky Way galaxy.