Question

Where on the Earth would you have to be located for the zenith and the North Celestial Pole to overlap? Test your answer with the Two Systems simulator.

Where on Earth would you have to be located to have the zenith be on the celestial equator? Test your answer with the Two Systems simulator.

What is the definition of the Ecliptic?

What is the definition of the Celestial Equator?

What is the relationship between the Ecliptic and the Celestial Equator?

Explain in your own words why the Sun, moon, and planets never deviate more than about +/- 60 degrees from the Celestial Equator?

Answer 1

1. At the north pole. Since the north celestial pole is at the local zenith when you are at the earth's north pole.
2. To place a celestial pole on your zenith, you would travel to the North or South Pole. Your zenith is the imaginary point directly above your head.
3. Ecliptic: a great circle on the celestial sphere representing the sun's apparent path during the year, so called because lunar and solar eclipses can only occur when the moon crosses it.
4. celestial equator: The projection into space of the earth's equator; an imaginary circle equidistant from the celestial poles.
5. the Ecliptic and the Celestial Equator are at an angle of about 23° to each other.
6. The Sun, moon, and planets never veer off more than about +/ - 60 degrees from the Celestial Equator is on the grounds that their orbital plane does not. The sun stays in its band and the moon/planets stay in their band.