I have not been able to find much on this topic: Why do planets appear to wander, while stars do not? Is it because the stars are not in our solar system and are not revolving with the planets? If someone could explain this, I would greatly appreciate it.
2006-08-23 12:57:13 · 8 answers · asked by bunkerfan 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
You basically have the right idea. The planets movements, due to their proximity, is much more noticable. Also, the earth and the the other planets are all in motion, so their relative motion can sometimes cause anomalies, like Mars seeming to travel in reverse in its orbit for a short time (I believe that's called "retrograde" but I could be wrong and I'm too lazy to wiki it!)
Imagine you had a group of friends standing near a large tree. From the tree you can see, far away on a hilltop, a giant red radio tower. You and your friends start walking circles around the tree, some faster, some slower. Your friends are so much closer, and so small, that you can see always see that they're in motion, but no matter where you around the tree, the giant tower always looks the same from wherever you are around the circle.
Does that help?
2006-08-23 13:11:28 · answer #1 · answered by LooneyDude 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The planets are different. Planets appear to wander through the starfield. Indeed, the word "planet" means "wanderer". Planets seem to wander because they are much closer to us and all of us (the Earth and the other planets) orbit the Sun. This complicates our observations of the planets. We have to keep track of them. Mars may appear to be next to a particular star tonight but it won't be there tomorrow. That's because in 24 hours Mars will have moved over 2 million kilometers in its orbit around the Sun and the Earth will have moved almost 2.5 million kilometers in its orbit too! Plotting those two motions against the fixed starfield, while taking into account the geometry of the problem, leads you to a prediction of how the position of Mars will change with respect to the stars and Earth.
2006-08-23 17:06:57 · answer #2 · answered by spaceprt 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The nearest star is 8000 times further away than Pluto.
Most other stars are hundreds of thousands to millions of times further away than the planets.
They do indeed move in relation to us - in a thousand years time the Big Dipper (plough to the Brits) will look somewhat different.
It is simply a matter of distance, like the roadside whizzes past your car, but the distant mountains stay put for many miles.
2006-08-23 13:09:26 · answer #3 · answered by nick s 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
planets appear to wander in the sky (if that is what you mean) because planets revolves around the sun and this the distance they are from us are far nearer than the other stars planetary movement is easier to detect than movement of stars up to hundred and thousands of light-year away.
2006-08-23 13:03:00 · answer #4 · answered by Man 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Yes, you are essentially right - I believe it is also due to the fact that the Earth's revolution is different than the other planets, for instance, I believe Mars? seems to back-track for a time, then continue its normal path as we pass it due to our smaller orbit.
2006-08-23 13:14:54 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
The Earth wobbles as it rotates.
2006-08-23 13:03:24 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I forgot to tie them down. God
2006-08-23 12:59:11 · answer #7 · answered by johnno K 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
ADD
2006-08-23 16:50:39 · answer #8 · answered by Shellback 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋