Posted on 07/04/2008 7:52:08 PM PDT by bruinbirdman
Today the Earth is at aphelion, its farthest distance from the Sun during the whole year, and this year the Earth will be at its second farthest aphelion of the century. Not that it will feel much different though.
The reason for aphelion is the slightly oval-shaped orbit of the Earth around the Sun, with the Sun slightly off-centre. So at this aphelion the Earth lies about 152 million km (94.5 million miles) away from the Sun, roughly 2.4 million km (1.5 million miles) more than average.
That means that the Sun will appear 1.7 per cent smaller in the sky and 7 per cent less bright at aphelion than at perihelion, its closest distance to the Sun, which happened in early January. This makes our summers slightly cooler in the northern hemisphere, but the difference is hardly noticeable.
Another strange effect at aphelion is that the Earth travels most slowly in its yearly orbit – an illustration of this can be seen at www.analemma.com. This slowing down stretches out the summer in the northern hemisphere by almost five days.
The elliptical orbit, as well as the tilt of the Earth, can also add up to 15 minutes’ difference between sundial and clock time. This is called the equation of time.
(Excerpt) Read more at timesonline.co.uk ...
Thanks. Fascinating.
A bit more than I ever wanted to know but very fascinating.
LOL.
Answer:
1/2 ( 1 / ( 1/365.24219 - 1/365.25964 ) )/365.24219
or 10466 Tropical Years
So in 20,932 years our situation will be reversed? North America will tilt toward the sun at perihelion?
This year's cooler temperatures are most likely due to the TOTAL lack of sunspots since spring 2007: Solar Cycle 24 is now 14 months behind schedule, and there have been no sunspots since early December 2007. Cycle 23 slowly ended - though there have been two or three “old cycle” sunspots since November.
No sunspots means very, very little magnetic field from the sun -> so less shielding from the cosmic rays coming in from the galaxy -> so more cosmic rays -> more impacts with the atmosphere -> more cloud nuclei in the mid-atmosphere -> more clouds -> less sunshine getting through + more reflected from the earth -> lower temperatures.
The earth's orbit - though it is interesting to note that there IS 7% less radiation received - has never been discussed w/r global cooling. Particularly, this double-cycle now of the regular summer time longer distance from the sun + the eccentricity might mean this year's summer will be shorter than usual.
the sun is only avery small part of Gaia’s ecosystem human machines and industry do so much more damage than something so insignificant as the “sun”.
The earth’s orbit is the most circular of all the planets, which is one of those key contingencies that allow life to exist here.
Interesting ... thanks..
Lets see, ‘at its 2nd farthest aphelion of the century’. Since this is 08 that isn’t much of a stat now is it.
Looks like some people have to much time on their hands.
Remember some AIDS stat few years back, a certain group had went from 1 ‘victim’ to 2 (or some such minutia) and the headlines screamed AIDS CASE GROUP RAISES 100%—absolutely true but a sukoshi bit misleading...
LOL, did you come up with those on your own?
Actually, the Earth and the Sun each orbit around their common barycenter (to use a neat new word, I learned on Free Republic a day or so ago).
... reminds of what I regard as Anthony Quinn’s greatest acting moment, as Tony Vivaldi, in LAST ACTION HERO. When the villian, Benedict, decides to make his big move, he finally responds to one of Tony’s inanities that had him muttering under his breath throughout the movie.
Tony is standing in a pool and says, something like, “What do you want me to do a three sixty?” Benedict corrects him, “... a one eighty.” Tony says, “Huh?” and Benedict explains, “If you did a three sixty, you’d turn all the way around and be going the same way as when you started.” Tony spreads his arms and thrusts out his chest as he exclaims in bewilderment, “WHAAAAAAAA?” whereupon Benedict shoots him right between the eyes.
I believe that Venus and Neptune have orbits that are more circular than Earth's. Maybe if we got rid of all the lefties, we could reduce our eccentricity?
ISTR the villian called him a spaghetti-slurping wop.
I should've rephrased my inarticulate question but it doesn't matter now.
So why are there more desert areas in the Northern Hemisphere. Its 110 here today.
yitbos
Hey! If you didn't read what I wrote the first time, why should I write it all over again in hopes that you might read it the second time?
In point of fact, you made exactly the same mistake as Tony Vivaldi. Live with it. Improve.
I think it’s safe to say that virtually no variable could have been different, without having had the effect of NO LIFE on earth. The temperature, the mass of the Earth, distance from the Sun, the composition of the earth and atmosphere, the mass and distance of the Moon, etc., etc.
I saw “The Last Action Hero.” I don’t remember that scene. I don’t remember anything except that everyone’s phone number started with “555,” and the kid was unappealing and annoying (IIRC, he never made another movie).
Well, only 18 other movies. Hardly ever heard from again, though.
Exactly because there is more land mass in the Northern Hemisphere.
Isn't that about the time of the last ice age?
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