Meaning and Definition of Ecliptic

Definition of ecliptic


Map generated by the movement of the earth around the Sun

The concept that we are concerned with here is used in exclusive way in the field of astronomy to refer to the movement that runs the earth around the Sun, popularly known as translation and which lasts for one calendar year. This movement just generates a map that gives it called ecliptic. As consequence that the axis of rotation of the Earth has an average between 22 ° and 27 ° inclination, both the Earth Ecuador and the ecliptic make up together the same angle.
During its journey around the Sun, the Earth will keep this inclination in the same direction and seasons (summer, spring, autumn and winter) are generated as a result of the various effects of the beam of sunlight on the Earth.

Cause of the beginning of the seasons of the year

The ecliptic intersects in ecuador with two opposite points called equinoxes. When the Sun appears by the Equinox the duration of day and night will be 12 hours and the same around the globe. The point of the ecliptic, which is further north in relation to the Ecuador, summer solstice is called at the behest of the northern hemisphere and winter solstice in the southern hemisphere.
Meanwhile, the lack of perpendicularity between the axis of rotation of the planet and the plane of the ecliptic is the cause of the beginning of each weather station.

Impact on Eclipses

We must also highlight the incidence of the ecliptic at the time of the event of an eclipse because the Moon's orbit is inclined 5 ° in the respect of the ecliptic, then, during the new moon or the full moon if the same crosses the ecliptic phenomena of the eclipse of Sun and moon, which both attract the scholars and fans of course will be produced.
The origin of its name is at the age where they were called that way to the line generated by the sky when happening eclipses, meanwhile, this drawing coincided with the annual journey of the Sun line.