If you're standing on the North Pole of the Earth, where in the sky would the celestial equator be?

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

Consider the scenario: you are standing at the North Pole. The celestial equator is defined as the projection of Earth's equator onto the celestial sphere.

Option 1: it's the same as the ecliptic. The ecliptic is the apparent path of the Sun across the sky over a year, tilted about 23.5 degrees to the celestial equator. They are distinct circles on the sky, so this option is inaccurate.

Option 2: all along your horizon. At the North Pole, the entire celestial equator sits along the horizon, forming a complete circle around the observer at eye level. This occurs because your zenith (the point directly overhead) coincides with the north celestial pole, while the celestial equator remains 90 degrees away from that point, right along the horizon.

Option 3: it passes through your zenith. The zenith is the point directly overhead. The celestial equator is perpendicular to the line from zenith to the nadir and, at the pole, sits on the horizon, not through the zenith, so this is incorrect.

Option 4: it lies below your horizon. Since the celestial equator forms a circle at the horizon around you, it is not below; it is exactly on the horizon, not beneath it. This makes this option inaccurate.

In summary, the geometry at the North Pole places the celestial equator along the horizon, all the way around, making option 2 the descriptive fit for this scenario. The other statements contradict the known relationships between the celestial equator, zenith, and horizon at the pole.

2261 ASTRON 0088 SEC1070 Quiz 2 - click here to begin

If you're standing on the North Pole of the Earth, where in the sky would the celestial equator be?

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