29.3k views
0 votes
If earth rotated from N to S, the N star would appear to

1 Answer

6 votes

Final answer:

If Earth rotated from north to south, the North Star's position in the sky would change, along with the apparent paths of all other stars, due to the orientation of Earth's rotation axis.

Step-by-step explanation:

If the Earth rotated from north to south, instead of its current rotation from west to east, the appearance of the night sky would be significantly altered. The North Star, also known as Polaris, which currently remains nearly stationary in the sky because it is aligned with the north celestial pole, would no longer hold that position. The celestial sphere, against which all stars appear to move, would seem to rotate in a different direction.

Normally, because Earth rotates about its axis, the sky appears to turn in the opposite direction around the celestial poles. With a north-to-south rotation, the apparent motion of stars, including the North Star, would be oriented along this new axis, dramatically changing their paths across the sky.

User Muzaffar Mahmood
by
7.3k points