If it only rotates 360 degrees, when it has traced its orbit around the sun 180 degrees then at "noon" the designated point would be facing away from the sun. Is that correct or not? Thanks
2006-08-07 12:50:05 · 10 answers · asked by tomrharvey60 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
The average daily rotation of the Earth comes from the synodic period between the sidereal year and the sidereal day.
1 / (1 - 1 / 365.25) = 1.0027453
360 degrees (1.0027453) = 360.988 degrees
So, on the average, 361 degrees is about right. But the exact amount varies through the year because Earth's orbit is elliptical, and it moves faster in January than it does in July.
2006-08-07 13:09:58 · answer #1 · answered by David S 5 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Earth rotates 360 degrees every day, otherwise in a few days the sun would rise at midnight and set at noon. Your point about facing away from the sun after a half day is exactly correct. And that explains why we have nights. As it spins each day, the Earth is also rotating around the sun once per year. We have leap years to account for the fact that it takes about 365.25 days to complete 1 orbit around the sun but our calendars only measure whole days rather than that pesky 0.25 day tacked on to each year.
2006-08-07 13:00:24 · answer #2 · answered by Eric G 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This is essentially correct. There is what is called the solar day, from noon to noon, and the sidereal day, from fixed star to fixed star (what you are calling 360 degree).
The sidereal day is 23 hours 56 minutes and 4.091 seconds, which is almost exactly one degree off (or 1/360 of a full day off). And why is it almost 1 degree? Because the year is " around" 360 days, and that the rotation of the Earth around the sun is equivalent to an extra day.
(You are evidently using your brain right. Keep it up!)
2006-08-07 13:04:19 · answer #3 · answered by Vincent G 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Wikipedia
2006-08-07 13:02:03 · answer #4 · answered by Jáe 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Earth does rotate more than 360 degrees every 24 hours. It takes 23:56:4.091 for the Earth to complete a rotation (one sidereal day). I asked the same question of one of my high school science teachers and confused her-- so congratulations on your brains. Good thinkin'.
2006-08-07 12:58:44 · answer #5 · answered by ? 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would say you're right, if the earth turns counter to the way it turns around the sun. For example, if the earth travels around the sun clockwise, and the earth spins counter-clockwise, then it would need to spin 361 degrees. If the earth spins clockwise, it would need to spin 359 degrees. Of course, the earth only travels 0.98 degrees per day on its path around the sun. So I think the earth may turn 360 degrees without penalty.
2006-08-07 12:57:39 · answer #6 · answered by newinfiniteabyss 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. It takes the Earth one year to orbit the sun, not 24 hours.
2006-08-07 12:54:41 · answer #7 · answered by T Time 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
361 Degrees Philippines
2017-03-02 07:47:11 · answer #8 · answered by kampfer 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it rotates 360 degrees every 23 hrs 56 minutes approximately. Again it de[pends on what axis.
2006-08-07 12:55:36 · answer #9 · answered by Mein Hoon Na 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Visit www.wikipedia.org.It is a great site that will give you a lot of information.
2006-08-07 13:23:07 · answer #10 · answered by meno25 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋