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Article: The view from Earth.(SCOPE ON THE SKIES)
- Article from:
- Science Scope
- Article date:
- November 1, 2008
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2008 National Science Teachers Association. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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All of the planets in our solar system circle the Sun in the same direction. When asked which direction, many students will tell you that when our planetary system is viewed from above the North Pole, the planets orbit counterclockwise. While this is certainly a correct explanation, it may not necessarily be the best explanation, for at least two reasons. First, in the southern hemisphere, the view from above the solar system means above the Earth's South Pole, and from that perspective planets orbit the Sun in a clockwise direction. Second, and perhaps more important, is that from our perspective on the Earth's surface, we do not see this circular orbit; rather, we ...