Are the rotations, revolutions,& orbits of planets, stars nebulas clockwise or counter-clockwise?

Question

If we use the rotation of the Earth as a benchmark, are the motions of other bodies in the universe in the same direction or just as many in the opposite direction. Perhaps, I am wondering if the conservation of centripetal & centrifugal forcesplay a role in these motions.

Answer 1

most planets and moons and the sun revolve in the same direction as the earth, which is counterclockwise. this is an arbitrary convention, if civilization would have developed faster in the southern hemisphere, our maps would be rotated 180 degrees and everything would be revolving clockwise.

there are a few exceptions within our solar system.

Answer 2

To begin with, clockwise or counterclockwise are terms that we apply based on an arbitrary point of reference. In most cases, we regard the rotation of the earth or its revolution around the sun as seen from above the north pole looking down. It could have just as easily been from the south pole looking up. In most cases, though, it is just widely accepted that the point of reference is the former.

In general, the rotation of planets and their revolution around the host star is determined by the initial angular momentum of the nebula from which they formed.

Over time, gravitational perturbations or impacts with other planetary bodies can radically change these rates and directions as they have in the cases of Venus (rotates backwards because of the gravitational influence of the earth-moon system), Uranus (is tipped over on its side most probably the result of a large impact long ago) or Triton (revolves around Neptune in reverse possibly due to an encounter with a massive object passing close by long ago).

A different star system may rotate naturally in the opposite direction.

Answer 3

nothing is rotating on the same plane. Venus actually rotates backwards. Uranus rotates sideways 89 degree polar tilt. It's all relative. If you look at galaxies, they're all spinning completely randon from each other. Is a galaxy that spins clockwise just an upside down version of one spinning counterclockwise? As there is no "up" in space, there is no relativeistic point from which to describe planets moons, stars and galxies as moving clockwise or counterclockwise. We have an "Earthian" point of view, but even from that view point, we see whole galaxies moving in all sorts of random ways.

Answer 4

First I observed her going clockwise, then while i became reading she replaced to counter clockwise, each time I looked away she replaced course! This became fairly cool. Does it mean i'm a left brained individual because of the fact I observed her clockwise first? Or am I the two?

Answer 5

Depends on your reference frame. Everything is relative.