a) December 21st
b) July 4th
c) March 21
d) It changes every year
e) None of the Above
The answer is (b) - July 4th
c) March 21
d) It changes every year
e) None of the Above
The answer is (b) - July 4th
July 4th is in fact the day the earth is furthest from the sun in its yearly eccentric elliptical orbit. This most distant point is called aphelion. As you are celebrating the rocket's red glare and the bombs bursting in air as a show of your patriotism, shift your consciousness for a brief moment. Celebrate that you are at the furthest point you'll be this year from the sun, the giver and sustainer of all life on our precious planet. That we are all together in this endless journey.
HAPPY JULY 4th. HAPPY APHELION!
Most people are surprised to learn that the distance of the sun in its orbit around the sun changes throughout the year. [Actually answer (d) above is also somewhat true, since the actual day does fluctuate a few hours year to year] The solstices and equinox are on the 21st of March, June, September and December. These are caused by 23ยบ tilt of the earth on its axis. This is the cycle of the equinoxes, revered by druids and shaman is observable as the sun seems to rises and sets in patterns moving along the horizon. Days and nights growing longer and shorter with the seasons is the usual association made between the seasons and the solar cycle.
However this has nothing whatsoever to do with Earth's distance to the sun.
Dates and times of aphelion and perihelion* of Earth:
*Perihelion is the time of year when the earth is closest -- January 4th.
2008-Jul-04 08:00 Earth at aphelion 1.01675351039063 AU (94,533,350 miles or 152,104,160 km)
If you pass this astronomical tidbit on to your friends over a cold beer you may also take note that you are one of the few people who knows what day the earth is furthest from the sun. But you may find yourself asking how July the fourth could be the farthest from the sun? The Fourth of July? Its a summer holiday! Do you think that's the wrong answer? It is counter-intuitive but its most certainly not wrong. And if you are like most people, you've never really given it any thought before. In the northern hemisphere it seems even more confusing, since the hot summer climate seems to contradict the obvious heat and light changes that must be associated with being closer or further from a star, right?
Most people are surprised to learn that the distance of the sun in its orbit around the sun changes throughout the year. [Actually answer (d) above is also somewhat true, since the actual day does fluctuate a few hours year to year] The solstices and equinox are on the 21st of March, June, September and December. These are caused by 23ยบ tilt of the earth on its axis. This is the cycle of the equinoxes, revered by druids and shaman is observable as the sun seems to rises and sets in patterns moving along the horizon. Days and nights growing longer and shorter with the seasons is the usual association made between the seasons and the solar cycle.
However this has nothing whatsoever to do with Earth's distance to the sun.
Dates and times of aphelion and perihelion* of Earth:
*Perihelion is the time of year when the earth is closest -- January 4th.
2008-Jan-03 00:00 Earth at perihelion .983280065957433 AU (91,421,133 miles or 147,096,604 km)
2008-Jul-04 08:00 Earth at aphelion 1.01675351039063 AU (94,533,350 miles or 152,104,160 km)
Notice that this is a difference of about 3,000,000 miles. That is a big number, and one which is usually not taken into account when people think about the seasons and cycles of the year. In fact sunlight is about 7% less intense in July than it is in January.
The earth is also moving with its slowest velocity at this time of year. From July 4th and for the rest of the year the earth will increase its acceleration towards its closest pass around the planet - right after the holiday season.
You now know that July 4th is the slowest and farthest point our planet extends from the sun. Next consider the perihelion the closest and fastest point, four days after the Gregorian New Year.
Some of you may have heard before my extensive speculations regarding the relationships between the earth's eccentric orbit, the mind-body relationship, seasonality, cognitive sciences, Quantum Mysticism, archeoastronomy, alchemy, chronobiology, shamanism, ayurveda , conventional western medicine, seasonal affective disorder (SAD), winter depression & holiday stress, the collective unconscious and mass consciousness. My inquiries are somewhat eccentric in and of themselves and this is admittedly terra incognita - largely unexplored material within the confines of rationalistic science. I am reminded that all orbits are eccentric, some faster, some more uniform in motion. Kepler's Law states that eccentricity is the nature of an orbit around a source. Some orbits are just more off-center than others.
If this subject interests you please see my other postings under the Kepler tag
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