.....and because we can't be arsed to do anything in work on the run up to Xmas, we have been discussing at what point does the earth stop, then start to move 'down', as it were, to lengthen the days?

Is this known? Is it possible to tell? How can we find out? Does anyone else care?

Geezer

 

NO!

 

If the earth stopped, you would float into space

 

It happens at precisely 1835 UT this evening

 

I looked into this last year, as it puzzled me as to why the nights start to draw out after the 21st December, but the mornings continue to draw IN right up to mid January

It's due to something called the "analemma" ( I think that's spelled right), and the explanation can be found on the Greenwich Observatory site:

http://www.rog.nmm.ac.uk/

Alcazar

 

Days stay at 24 hours long. They don't get longer or shorter. Now the amount of light in a day changes of course.

At what point - once the orbit has reached the furthest point I guess.

 

Let me see.......... given that today is the shortest day....... and the days can only get longer....... I'd guess the answer is..... today!

 

Have you made that up, and if not, how do you know?

Geezer

 

alcazar

Do you have a phone number for "**** emma" as seeing its the shortest day, she should be doing her stuff!!! LOL

 

I didn't make it up at all. It is possible to calculate such things as the movement of the planets, sun etc. follows fairly simple maths.

The info you need is here:

http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/EarthSeasons.html

 

OK, I understand it's easy to plot planetary motion etc., but how do they know the exact moment the earth turns?

Thanks for the link BTW.

Geezer