Like all the planets of our huge solar system, the Earth makes two main revolutions - around its axis and around the Sun. The time of one revolution of the Earth around its axis is called the day, and the period during which it goes around its orbit around the Sun is called the year. This movement is the key to life and physical laws on the planet by which we all exist. At the slightest failure (which has not yet happened), the work of all the spheres of the Earth, ecosystems and living organisms will be disrupted.
Features of the rotation of the planet
Both in the people and in science, the time of one revolution of the Earth around an axis is called the day. They consist of day and night, which occur on average in 24 hours. Our planet is spinning counterclockwise, that is, from west to east. It is because of this that the inhabitants of the eastern regions meet the dawn first, and the inhabitants of the western hemisphere - the last. An axis is a conditional line that runs through the south and north poles of the planet. Thus, these extreme points do not take part in the rotation process, while all other sections of the earth move.
As the planet moves from west to east, we can observe how the entire celestial sphere seems to pass us in the opposite direction, that is, from east to west. This applies to the Sun, and all the stars that we see at night. The Moon is an exception, since it is an Earth satellite with an individual orbit.
The movement of our planet in numbers
It is the diurnal period that determines the speed of the Earth's rotation around its axis. For 24 hours, this celestial body must complete a complete conversion, taking into account its own parameters and mass. We have already said that the axis penetrates the Earth from north to south, and during this process the poles do not rotate around it. At this time, all other zones, including circumpolar and equatorial, move at a certain pace. The Earth's rotation speed in the equator region is maximum. It reaches 1670 km / h. Moreover, in this area day and night have an equal number of hours throughout the year.
The Earth's rotation speed in Italy reaches an average of 1200 km / h with a seasonal change in the length of day and night. Thus, the closer we move to the poles, the slower the planet rotates there, gradually coming to zero.
What are the days and how are they charged?
The time of one revolution of the Earth around the axis is called exactly the day, and is placed in this interval for exactly 24 hours. But it is worth remembering that there are concepts such as sunny days and sidereal, which have a small but significant difference.
First, consider all the features of the first type. Firstly, not every day of our life lasts exactly 24 hours. At those moments when the planet is approaching the Sun, its speed of rotation around the axis increases. During periods of removal from the main body of the system, the motion of the planet Earth slows down. Therefore, in the summer the day can go a little faster, and in the winter they last longer.
As for sidereal days, their duration is 23 hours, 56 minutes and 4 seconds. This is the time during which our planet rotates around its axis relative to some distant star. That is, if the distant star was the Sun, then the entire revolution, consisting of 360 degrees, would be complete for this period. Well, in order for it to reach the end relative to the Sun itself, it is necessary to go one more degree, which takes just four minutes.
The second important rotation of the planet is around the sun.
The Earth goes around the Sun in an elliptical orbit. That is, its circulation does not occur in a clear circle shape, but in an oval pattern. The speed of the Earth around the Sun averages 107,000 km / h, but this unit is inconsistent. The average distance of our planet from the sun is 150 million kilometers. The exact and constant unit is the degree of inclination of the earth's axis relative to the orbit - 66 degrees and 33 seconds, regardless of the time of day or year. It is such a slope, coupled with the shape of the orbit, a variable speed of movement and circulation that gives us the opportunity to feel the seasonal changes in climate, but not in all latitudes. If the daily fluctuations of time and any changes are multiplied by zero in the region of the poles, then seasonal features also freeze at the equator. Every day from year to year it goes the same way as the previous one, with the same weather, as well as the duration of the day and night.
Ecliptic and its annual cycle
The term "ecliptic" means a section of the celestial sphere, which is located within the orbits of the Earth and the Moon. Within the boundaries of this conditional circle, all the main movements of our planet, as well as the revolution of the moon around it, occur. It is worth noting that the latter has a significant impact on the climate, hydrosphere and atmosphere of the Earth. The moon can cause eclipses, ebbs and flows, lithospheric metamorphoses and much more.
As for the ecliptic itself, this plane has its celestial equator, which has certain astronomical coordinates. Relative to them, the tilt of all the planets of the solar system is calculated. Similarly, the position of the stars and galaxies that we see in the sky is calculated (because their light falls into the ecliptic, therefore, all the heavenly bodies viewed are part of it). This theory is the basis of astrology. In accordance with the indicated science, those constellations that pass through the ecliptic make up the zodiac. The only unit that is not in this category is Ophiuchus. This constellation is visible in the sky, but it is not in the astrological tables.
Summarizing
We have determined that the time of one revolution of the Earth around its axis is called the day. The latter are sunny (24 hours) or sidereal (23 hours 56 minutes). The change of day and night occurs in all latitudes of the planet with the exception of the poles. There, the earth's rotation speed is zero. The revolution of the planet around the Sun occurs in a year - 365 days. During this period, a change of seasons is observed in all corners of the Earth, but not at the equator. This zone is the most stable, while it rotates around its axis with maximum speed.