2007-06-20 15:56:16 · 7 answers · asked by tony s 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Well, technically, the sun is exactly where it was about 8 minutes ago, since that's roughly how long it's light takes to reach us.
But on a relative scale, yeah, the sun is where you see it.
2007-06-20 16:02:06 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Depending how accurately you measure: the answer is no.
1) we see the sun where it was 499 seconds ago (8m19s) and in that time, the Sun will have moved westward by 2 degrees.
2) Atmospheric refraction causes the light from the Sun to be slightly diverted before reaching our eyes (or cameras, or whatever else). In general, this refraction causes the image of the Sun to appear slightly higher than where the sun really is. Near the horizon, this effect can be a whole degree.
When we see the sun setting, then the real (8m19s old) sun is already completely below the horizon (refraction is a whole degree but the apparent diameter of the Sun is only half a dgree) AND the real sun is 8m19s further along (a total difference that could be a bit more than 3 degrees).
2007-06-20 16:05:11 · answer #2 · answered by Raymond 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You should never look at the Sun directly because you will hurt your eyes.
However, if you only glance at it, what you see is a vision of the Sun that is 8 minutes old, because the Sun is 93,000,000 miles away from the Earth. And, it takes light from the Sun 8 minutes to reach the Earth. Now, as far as movement goes, the Sun is more or less stationary with respect to the Earth.
The Earth is orbiting around the Sun and makes one complete revolution around it in roughly 365 days (one year).
The Earth is spinning as it orbits the Sun, at a rate of one complete revolution per day (24 hours).
So, if we said that for 12 hours a day it was possible to see the Sun from where we stand on the Earth's surface (some places that is not true)...
Then 12 Hours x 60 Minuets = Total arc of the Sun across the sky = 720 minutes for 180 degrees of arc , or 4 minutes per degree of arc.
If the light took 8 minutes to get here, the Sun would actually be in a position 2 degrees different from what you see if you look at it. You may check my math, but I think that is pretty close to being right.
The real problem with this math is that standing on the surface of the Earth my view is limited by trees and mountains which prevent me from seeing the full 180 degrees of the Sun's arc across the sky. I get maybe 174 - 176 degrees of arc visable.
2007-06-20 16:27:55 · answer #3 · answered by zahbudar 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No when you see the sun, you're looking at where it was about 8 minutes and 20 seconds ago.
2007-06-20 16:08:01 · answer #4 · answered by BP 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, for a couple of reasons.
One, it takes about eight minutes for sunlight to make it to earth, so you're seeing the sun where it was eight minutes ago.
Two, our atmosphere bends sunlight a small amount, much in the way that the image of a straw sitting part in, part out of water appears bent.
2007-06-20 16:03:08 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
there should be a lag of 8 minutes, right!! Plus our atmosphere, being a denser medium, should bend the ray of light a little
2007-06-20 16:03:46 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. Its position changes, especially when the seasons change.
2007-06-20 16:03:42 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋