[pct-l] Re: Holiday Cheers

[w_sally at bellsouth.net (O & S Walter)]

NO SEASONS!  Yikes!  Actually I have never contributed to this forum before
but feel the need to keep the
natural history discussion somewhat close to reality.
Yes Virginia, there will always be seasons.  The earth's tilt (obliquity)
varies from about 22 to 25 degrees in a cyclical
fashion and is never anywhere near 0 degrees and has been since the moon was
formed.
This obliquity cycle is one of three cyclical variations in the earth's
orbit around the sun which have a proportional
effect on long term climate cycles.  Google "Milankovitch cycles" for an in
depth discussion if interested.
The pole star position varies and the position of the equinoxes at points
along the earth's orbit changes due to
another of these cycles called precession.  This is why the sun rises in
Pisces now on the Vernal equinox and rose
in Aries for scholars in antiquity and will rise in Aquarius ( "Age of
Aquarius") one of these days in the future.
Vega will replace Polaris as the pole star eventually and then cycle back to
Polaris.
Curious for more?  Get on the web.
O Walter