I was recently checking out one of my books and I read about what would happen if the earth's axis were perpendicular to the ecliptic. I was just wondering if you could give me some insight on what would happen if the ecliptic was inclined at a 90-degree angle with respect to the celestial equator?
Would this mean that earth's orbit would travel along this "new ecliptic" while the north and south poles are travelling along this "new ecliptic"?
2006-07-25 13:11:00 · 3 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Earth Sciences & Geology
I think you mean parallel to the ecliptic. 90 degrees is a zero degree tilt, meaning no seasons. With present tectonic configurations, the northern hemisphere would be hotter due to more land.
Your scenario would make the word "day" irrelevant, causing 6 months of light and 6 months of darkness. The 'summers' would be brutal, with 3 months of direct sunlight on the poles. The current equator would be very cold, having never received direct sunlight in perpetual dawn/dusk. What this would do to the world as we know it is unfathomable.
2006-07-25 13:18:01 · answer #1 · answered by QFL 24-7 6 · 8⤊ 2⤋
Most probably no life. atlest not in the current form.
2006-07-25 13:42:56 · answer #2 · answered by st_creations2003 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think we would all be in big trouble.
2006-07-25 13:15:03 · answer #3 · answered by CottonPatch 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋