The equinoxes are the two points on the celestial equator there the ecliptic
(the sun's apparent annual path through the stars) crosses it.
Note that the equinoxes are not events or dates. They are points on the map
of the stars.
celestial equator
It's because the Earth's axis is tilted. Therefore the plane of the equator is tilted (at about 23.5 degrees) away from the plane of the Earth's orbit. Therefore the celestial equator is tilted away from the ecliptic.
During an equinox, the sun is directly over the equator of the Earth. This causes the length of day and night to be nearly equal all over the world.
The celestial equator passes through 15 major constellations, including 5 from the Zodiac:AquilaAquariusCanus MinorCetusEridanusHydraLeoMonocerosOrionOphiuchusPiscesSerpansSextansTaurusVirgo
The two points on the ecliptic where the sun is farthest from the celestial equator are the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. These are located approximately at 23.5 degrees north and south of the celestial equator, respectively. The sun reaches these points during the summer and winter solstices.
The Equator is an imaginary line (great circle) on the Earth's surface, which is equidistant from both the geographic poles and lies in a plane perpendicular to the Earth's axis of rotation. It divides the Earth into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.An Equinox is either of the two times during a year when the sun crosses the celestial equator. At this time, the length of day and night are approximately equal as the Sun is exactly above the Equator.The vernal equinox occurs around March 21, when the Sun moves north across the celestial equator. The autumnal equinox falls around September 23, as the Sun crosses the celestial equator going south.
celestial equator
june 21 december 21
Celestial Equator
The point in the sky where the sun crosses the celestial equator on its way north is the point called the "Vernal Equinox". The sun reaches that point and passes it on March 21 every year.
No...not really. What was put in the Webster's Dictionary is this: Solstice means either of the two times a year, about June 21 and about Dec. 22, when the sun is at its greatest distance from the celestial equator.
An equinox is when the sun crosses the celestial equator, resulting in day and night being nearly equal lengths all over the world. There are two equinoxes each year: the vernal equinox in March and the autumnal equinox in September.
It's because the Earth's axis is tilted. Therefore the plane of the equator is tilted (at about 23.5 degrees) away from the plane of the Earth's orbit. Therefore the celestial equator is tilted away from the ecliptic.
No, the celestial equator does not always pass directly overhead. The position of the celestial equator in the sky is determined by the observer's latitude on Earth. If the observer is located at the equator, the celestial equator will pass directly overhead. However, for observers at different latitudes, the celestial equator will appear at an angle to the horizon.
Equinoxes are the two points among the stars where the sun's apparent annual path crosses the celestial equator. Solstices are the two points among the stars where the sun's apparent annual path reaches its extremes, north and south of the celestial equator.
It's because the Earth's axis is tilted. Therefore the plane of the equator is tilted (at about 23.5 degrees) away from the plane of the Earth's orbit. Therefore the celestial equator is tilted away from the ecliptic.
The celestial equator passes through 15 major constellations, including 5 from the Zodiac:AquilaAquariusCanus MinorCetusEridanusHydraLeoMonocerosOrionOphiuchusPiscesSerpansSextansTaurusVirgo