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If there is a lunar eclipse on the vernal equinox is the moon above the ecliptic?
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What is an equionox?
Occurs when the sun is directly above Earths equator
Why do you not see a solar eclipse every month?
We would if the moon's orbit exactly overlapped the ecliptic, but it does not. Most of the time at the time of full moon the moon is above or below the ecliptic, the path traced out by the orbit of the sun.
What occurs twice a year when earths tilt is neither toward nor away from the sun?
Its called an equinox. There is the Spring and the Autumnal Equinox. This occurs when the Sun is directly above the equator. It means equal day, where the days and nights are of the same length. See the related link for more information.
How far above or below the equator can the Sun appear to move?
Important question ... the concept is involved with several other things associated with the moon. The moon's orbit is inclined about 5.1° to the ecliptic plane ... which immediately explains why neither solar nor lunar eclipses happen every month: The moon is typically above or below the straight line required to set up an eclipse. As seen from here on earth, the moon can appear anywhere within 5.1° above or below the ecliptic line in the sky, which in turn means anywhere within about 28.6° above or below the celestial equator. That apparent range of 5.1° above or below the ecliptic amounts to about 10 times the apparent diameter of the full moon.
During an equinox the sun is directly above what line of latitude?
It is directly above the equator.
What is the beginning of spring in the northern hemisphere marked by?
the sun is directly above the equator. The vernal equinox occurs on this day.
Why doesn't lunar eclipse occur every month?
The plane of the Earth's orbit around the Sun is called the "ecliptic". Most of the other planets and moons orbit in planes that are close to the ecliptic, but none of them have orbital planes that are exactly the same. The Moon's orbital plane is about 8 degrees angled to the ecliptic. So most times, the Moon is either above the ecliptic at the new or full, or below it. It is only when the new moon is on the eclliptic that we have a solar eclipse, and only when the full moon is on the ecliptic that we have a lunar eclipse.
What is an equionox?
Occurs when the sun is directly above Earths equator
What must the phase of the moon be for the occurrence of an eclipse of the sun?
It must be New Moon but also the Moon must be at one of its nodes, i.e. crossing the ecliptic, because its orbit is tilted relative to the ecliptic, which is the plane of the Earth's orbit. Usually at New Moon the Moon passes above or below the Sun and there is no eclipse.
Why don't you have a lunar eclipse during every full moon?
The moon orbits the Earth and it is tilted by five degrees to the Earth's ecliptic plane, so that the moon will either be above or below the ecliptic at most full moons, this in turn prevents the moon from entering the Earth's shadow - hence no lunar eclipse.
What time is the time of vernal equinox in 2011?
An Equinox is when the Sun is directly above the Earth's equator. The Vernal or Spring Equinox in 2009 will be Friday March 20 at 7:44 am EDT (11:44 am Universal Time). (Note: this is the Fall or Autumnal Equinox in the Southern Hemisphere)
Where are the suns rays most direct during spring and fall?
During Spring (Vernal Equinox) - March 20th or 21st = Equator During Fall (Fall Equinox) - September 22nd and 23rd = Equator (Yeah, the sun's rays are most direct on the equator during Spring and Fall) especially the days I mentioned above. The Equinox's
Why does the eclipse does not occur every time earth is between the sun and the moon?
The moon's orbit is not in sync with the ecliptic plane, it is tilted off the ecliptic by about 5 degrees, this means that at New Moon the moon will sometimes pass above or below the sun, which prevents a solar eclipse from occurring. Likewise at Full Moon, the Earth's shadow will miss the moon at times since the moon too high up or low down, this prevents a lunar eclipse.
Why is Vernal equinox important?
Well, it's importance is relative. First of all, it signifies the first day of Spring in the Northern Hemisphere and the first day of Autumn in the Southern Hemisphere. Equinox means "Equal Night", in other words, both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres receive equal amounts of day time and night time on this day. Does that help?
Why do you not see a solar eclipse every month?
We would if the moon's orbit exactly overlapped the ecliptic, but it does not. Most of the time at the time of full moon the moon is above or below the ecliptic, the path traced out by the orbit of the sun.
Why does not earth experience a lunar eclipse every month?
Eclipses do not happen every month because the Moon is in an orbit that is inclined to the plane of the Earth's orbit, the ecliptic. So although the Moon passes behind the Earth (as seen from the Sun) every month, it usually passes above or below the Earth's shadow. For a lunar eclipse, Full Moon has to occur when the Moon is crossing the ecliptic, when it is said to be at a node.
The vernal equinox happens when?
The word "vernal" refers to the season of spring, as the word autumnal refers to the season of autumn, or fall. The vernal equinox for one half of the Earth is the start of the Spring season, and one of two times a year when the day and night are roughly equal in length for most of the planet. At these times the Sun crosses the plane of the Earth's equator. The vernal equinox for the northern hemisphere is the March equinox (March 20). The vernal equinox for the Southern Hemisphere is either September 22 or 23, the day termed the autumnal equinox for the north.Every year the Earth goes once around the Sun; that is, after all, the definition of a year. The Earth spins on its axis, and this axis happens to be tilted about 23.5 degrees relative to Earth's orbital plane. As a result, for half of each year, the northern hemisphere is tilted toward the Sun for the other half the Southern Hemisphere tilts toward the Sun. This causes the different seasons of the year.When the north is tilting toward the Sun, the Northern Hemisphere experiences longer days and warmer temperatures, beginning in the spring. When the south is tilted toward the Sun, then the southern hemisphere generally experiences the warmer weather.As the earth revolves around the sun there are two moments (not whole days) of the year when the Sun appears exactly above the equator. At these times neither pole tilts toward the Sun. These moments are called "equinoxes". One occurs in March as the northern hemisphere starts to tilt toward the sun. In the north, that equinox is called the "vernal" or spring equinox, the beginning of spring. The other, in September, is the autumnal equinox and is the first day of fall (autumn). In the southern hemisphere, the March equinox is autumnal, and the September equinox is vernal. Around the time of either equinox (which means "equal night") the daylight period of the day is about the same length of time as the night time period.AstronomyThe term Vernal Equinox has another meaning in Astronomy: the point in the heavens which is the location of the Sun at the moment of the northern vernal equinox. This point is useful as an astronomical marker, but because of something called 'precession' it moves very slowly. At one time this point was called the "First Point of Aries", because it was located just over the boundary of the constellation Aries. It is no longer there.*The actual distance from the Earth to the Sun is not the cause of the seasons. During the northern winter, the Earth is actually a little closer to the Sun than it is during the northern summer.
