Between now and the shortest day in the northern hemisphere the sunrise will get later by some 36 minutes and yet the sunset will get earlier by only 17 minutes. Why don' they change at the same rate?
2007-11-22 15:13:23 · 4 answers · asked by montpelier42 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
The reason is that the earth is tilted and that causes the time of the half-way point between sunrise and sunset to change throughout the year. For half of the year, the half-way point is before noon and for half of the year the half-way point is after noon.
Another reason is that the Earth's orbit is not a perfect circle, but the effect of the this is very small.
2007-11-22 17:44:37 · answer #1 · answered by John B 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Because Earth speeds up and slows down in its elliptical orbit around the Sun.
2007-11-23 00:10:00 · answer #2 · answered by campbelp2002 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Because as a Lady I have the right to change my mind and do as I wish;-)
2007-11-22 23:24:01 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Because we do not live in a perfectly symmetrical solar system.
2007-11-22 23:22:43 · answer #4 · answered by The Lazy Astronomer 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋