Autumnal Equinox (take comfort and cheer)

[tim-from-pa]

I live near the Philadelphia Pa area (40°N and 75°W) and for those of you who live along this longitude line take comfort when you see the rising equinox sun due east, you are looking toward Congo/Zaire Africa where it's warm yet! As a matter of fact, no matter where you live, looking at the sunrise you are looking toward the equator somewhere due east of you. And due west of me toward that equinox sunset is the direction to Australia where they will get the warm "winter" sun. So while the days get shorter here, take comfort that you are looking toward warmer places at a more southern latitude when you look east or west. Equinox on the east coast is September 22, 4:02PM. http://www.mirror.co.uk/science/autumnal-equinox-2017-season-change-11214365

 

[Hermit]

Two of my favourite seasons are autumn and spring. Where I live, those seasons have the ideal climate for me.

It fills my heart to know that there is always a picturesque sunrise, sunset, and a rainbow somewhere on this planet.

 

[WIP]

I live near the Philadelphia Pa area (40°N and 75°W) and for those of you who live along this longitude line take comfort when you see the rising equinox sun due east, you are looking toward Congo/Zaire Africa where it's warm yet! As a matter of fact, no matter where you live, looking at the sunrise you are looking toward the equator somewhere due east of you. And due west of me toward that equinox sunset is the direction to Australia where they will get the warm "winter" sun. So while the days get shorter here, take comfort that you are looking toward warmer places at a more southern latitude when you look east or west. Equinox on the east coast is September 22, 4:02PM. http://www.mirror.co.uk/science/autumnal-equinox-2017-season-change-11214365

Doesn't east and west follow longitudinal lines? In other words, if one is standing on the north pole, is there an east or west direction relative to planet earth?

 

[tim-from-pa]

Doesn't east and west follow longitudinal lines? In other words, if one is standing on the north pole, is there an east or west direction relative to planet earth?

I think you mean latitude lines. That's east at a specific point on earth, but when you travel or look toward a certain direction, your way or gaze is tangent to the latitude, but will tend to follow a great circle arc, i.e. the whole path around the earth. So going east, the true direction does not remain east as you travel, in other words. You would tend to veer off that east-west line but the direction one started is truly east, and is truly "straight ahead". And extreme example of this concept is a latitude line 10 feet from the pole. Technically, to travel east AND stay east one would walk in a circle. But there's nothing to make one walk in a circle (especially if they are unaware they are at the pole) as any straight path one will tend to follow the entire circumference of the earth. So while there's points east on that circle, as soon as you go that way you are no longer going east but more or less south as you veer off the circle in a tangent, but your "direction" or trajectory is not changing. Your north-south-east-west direction toward something is merely the direction from your specific location. That's called bearing or azimuth. So yes, an airplane to get to Africa from Philadelphia here would truly take off due east and simply keep going "straight ahead". Along that line of thought, anyone on the 75 degree west longitude line facing the same direction east and then going straight ahead that way will all converge at the equator in the Congo and meet up with one another!

 

[for_his_glory]

I'm NW Pa around Titusville and I noticed how it's getting darker more quickly this year as the years before have been gradual. I love the color of fall, but never look forward to that white nasty stuff, except for the first snow fall. I'm high on a hill and we get spectacular sunrises and sunsets. Was going to post a pic of a sunrise I took but don't know how.

 

[tim-from-pa]

I'm NW Pa around Titusville and I noticed how it's getting darker more quickly this year as the years before have been gradual. I love the color of fall, but never look forward to that white nasty stuff, except for the first snow fall. I'm high on a hill and we get spectacular sunrises and sunsets. Was going to post a pic of a sunrise I took but don't know how.

Yeah, it's that white nasty stuff I don't like, too, thus my lament. Thinking of a better snowblower this year -- maybe expensive but worth it.

 

[WIP]

I think you mean latitude lines. That's east at a specific point on earth, but when you travel or look toward a certain direction, your way or gaze is tangent to the latitude, but will tend to follow a great circle arc, i.e. the whole path around the earth. So going east, the true direction does not remain east as you travel, in other words. You would tend to veer off that east-west line but the direction one started is truly east, and is truly "straight ahead". And extreme example of this concept is a latitude line 10 feet from the pole. Technically, to travel east AND stay east one would walk in a circle. But there's nothing to make one walk in a circle (especially if they are unaware they are at the pole) as any straight path one will tend to follow the entire circumference of the earth. So while there's points east on that circle, as soon as you go that way you are no longer going east but more or less south as you veer off the circle in a tangent, but your "direction" or trajectory is not changing. Your north-south-east-west direction toward something is merely the direction from your specific location. That's called bearing or azimuth. So yes, an airplane to get to Africa from Philadelphia here would truly take off due east and simply keep going "straight ahead". Along that line of thought, anyone on the 75 degree west longitude line facing the same direction east and then going straight ahead that way will all converge at the equator in the Congo and meet up with one another!

So how does traveling east from PA at the equinox cross the equator? Just trying to understand.

 

[tim-from-pa]

So how does traveling east from PA at the equinox cross the equator? Just trying to understand.

It's not just at the equinox. It's all times. It's just that the sun happens to be there. Trying to imagine it will take a bit of practice as most are accustomed to thinking two-dimensional Mercator maps which seriously distorts a round earth. It's interesting to get people to think out of the mold. All I can say is take a globe. Find Pa. Stretch a string out east (at right angles to the longitude line) as if you are shooting a projectile out into space. Now, curve it around the center of the earth (that's the center of gravity) and see it passes the equator, then 40 degrees south latitude at the opposite end back across the equator and then back to Pa. This is why Mercator maps showing satellite orbits look like a sine wave, but in fact, they are going perfectly straight in a circular fashion around the center of the earth. Their orbital path is inclined to the planes of the latitude lines.

On a more pragmatic level, at equinox sunrise here in Pa (75 degrees west) means 6 hours before my meridian when it's rising the sun is over the 15 degrees east longitude line. Since it's the equinox the sun is over the equator. That point is over the Congo. So the little boys and girls see the sun straight overhead in Congo while its rising here. To get to any point on earth, follow the star overhead (or sun). Thus, if we are heading toward the east rising sun it stands to reason we are heading toward the Congo. That's the true direction and shortest route.

Anyone else feel free to chime in to explain this if they have another way of envisioning this.