Have you ever wondered what the world would be like if it were spinning in the opposite direction?

Answer 1

No, so after reading your question, I wondered. Then I wondered if any of the other planets rotate in the opposite direction. We rotate counterclockwise as do all the other planets except Venus and Uranus which were probably hit early on by some massive body which altered their natural rotation. I also know that early in the development of our planetary system, our moon hit the Earth, went through it, and was captured by it. Why wasn't our rotation altered at that time?

Answer 2

I don't really think too much about what would happen if that were the case but I can think of a few differences.

The sun would rise and set in the opposite direction to what it does now and the stars would appear to travel the other way around the Earth.

Our time zones would be reversed (i.e. those that are ahead of Greenwich would be behind and those behind would be ahead).

Space launch centres would be built on the west coasts instead of the east coasts so as to get a western launch instead of an eastern launch (to take advantage of the speed of Earth's rotation).

In terms of day length it would also result in the sidereal day (time it takes the Earth to spin) being longer than the solar day (time between the sun reaching the same point in the sky since the Earth has travels a little bit in its orbit around the sun each day and so has to spin a bit more to get the sun at the same point) so if the Earth were to spin at the same speed backwards the days would be eight minutes shorter (and if you have the same solar day length the Earth will be rotating slower).

But I really can't see that much else that would be different.

Answer 3

No, that's called Venus!

Answer 4

no actually i haven't ever thought of that....until now.

Answer 5

never thought about it, but everything must be........ going backwards if it did, ........... all in reverse.