1. Daily Motion & Introduction to Seasonal Motion

2. Daily Motion: View changes in hours

3. The Apparent Motion of Stars at Different Latitudes
Apparent motion: motion as it appears in the sky
This is due to the position (latitude) of the observer on earth, and the fact that the earth rotates about its axis
This can also be explained by a competing theory: that there is a celestial sphere which rotates around the motionless earth.

4. These different star movement patterns made it obvious to humans early on that we live on a sphere
Change your observation spot on the spherical earth, and you will change the pattern of motion you observe

5. Mid-Northern Latitudes: Typical Rising and Setting pattern as the Celestial Sphere rotates around the CNP
North

6. The View from 35° North Latitude
Do not confuse southern stars (½ the celestial sphere, those closer to the SCP) with the stars in *your* southern part of the sky

7. Daily Rising and Setting is Different for Sun and Stars!
Due to the rotation of the Earth around its axis (YouTube) (PSU avi)
Period of rotation:
1 siderial day= 23h56m4.1s
1 solar day (Noon to Noon) =24h
Stars rotate around the North Star – Polaris
How are these rotations different?
Circumpolar – never rise or set 7

8. Daily and Seasonal Motion Intertwined
Solar vs Siderial Day
Earth rotates in 23h56m
also rotates around sun
 needs 4 min. to “catch up”
Consequence: stars rise 4 minutes earlier each night (or two hours per month, or 12 hours in ½ year)
After 1/2 year we see a completely different sky at night!

9. The Sun shifts its position on the Celestial Sphere
The Sun shifts its position on the Celestial Sphere. Therefore its visibility changes seasonally

10. The Ecliptic plane & the Ecliptic

11. The Zodiac throughout the Year
Slow drift across background of fixed stars caused by rotation of earth about sun
Period = 1 year (365 ¼ days)
Example: In Winter sun in Sagittarius, Gemini at night sky; in summer sun in Gemini, Sagittarius at night sky

12. Zodiacal signs vs. Constellations
“Constellation” is a modern, well-defined term
- Some constellations are big, some are small on the celestial sphere
“Zodiacal sign” is the old way of dividing the year and the Sun’s path into 12 equal parts
Slow drift across background of fixed stars caused by rotation of earth about sun
Period = 1 year (365 ¼ days)
360/12=30, so each zodiacal sign is exactly 30 degrees “long”
0 degrees: Aries, 30 degrees: Taurus, 60 degrees: Gemini, 90 degrees: Cancer, etc.

13. Seasonal Motion
If you observe the sky at the same time, say midnight, but on a different date, you find that the celestial sphere has turned: different constellations are high in the sky

14. Equivalent Skies
Celestial Sphere turns 15º per hour due to daily motion, and 1º per day due to seasonal motion.
So fifteen days are equivalent to one hour!
Meaning: Stars look the same if you observe 15 days later (date) but 1 hour earlier (time)
Example: Same view on Sep 1 10pm and Sep 15 9pm and Sep 30 8pm

15. Cross-Checks
In one month the stars rise earlier 2 hours compared to the sun
Makes sense, since 4 min/day x 30 days = 120 min = 2 hours
After 6 month we have to observe 6 x 2 hours =12 hours earlier
The stars visible at midnight half a year earlier are now “visisble” at noon
Makes sense, since earth has traveled to the other “side” of its orbit

16. Fast and slow motion of the sun added together: Sun is slower than the stars, but still pretty fast
The sun moves from east to west daily, i.e. fast
Additionally, it moves with respect to the stars slowly from west to east – this is the seasonal motion
Added together the sun moves west, but slower than the stars, cf. moving backwards on a schoolbus

17. School Bus Analogy East West
You are slowly moving to the back of the bus, i.e. eastward
The school bus is going westward fast
East
West
With respect to an observer on the ground you are
going westward, but slower than the schoolbus
You = the sun, school bus = the celestial spehere, i.e. stars,
Observer on the ground = Observer on earth

18. How do we “see” that the Earth is moving around the Sun or v.v.?
Small discrepancy between sun’s motion and motion of stars
Sidereal vs solar day
At noon, say, the sun is not exactly in front of the same stars on the next day.
It is exactly in the south
The stars are faster, so a little west of south

19. Eventually, the sun drifts slowly into the next zodiac constellation
4 min/day = 2 hr/mo = 12 hr/ ½ year
Also: 2 hr = 30 deg, and 30 degrees = one constellation
So: 12 constellations per year, 1 for each month