Of course, they also show the March Equinox with a pivoting circle of illumination and a planet with no inclination-
https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/52248/seeing-equinoxes-and-solstices-from-space
On Thursday, February 23, 2023 at 2:40:24 AM UTC-7, Gerald Kelleher wrote:
Of course, they also show the March Equinox with a pivoting circle of illumination and a planet with no inclination-
https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/52248/seeing-equinoxes-and-solstices-from-spaceFor the other images, showing the Earth with or without an inclination depends on
the perspective being sought. If the perspective is one of the whole Solar System,
or the Earth's orbit, it makes sense to show it from the viewpoint of the Ecliptic plane.
If the perspective is from that of the people on the ground, though, then putting North
at the top makes sense.
But while I didn't agree with your _other_ examples, this final one is on a page that is
devoted to *explaining the reason for the seasons*. While it could be argued that a
North at the top perspective still is appropriate, since this way it shows the Northern
Hemisphere gets less light as the terminator, the line between light and dark, tilts
away from it... what about the reason why that had happened?
So in this last example, I'm inclined to agree that you have a valid complaint. Something
is missing.
But I also think I understand why they did it that way. They're using photos of the
actual Earth, where the continents are hidden by clouds. Not a diagram of a globe,
with latitude and longitude lines, in addition to the coastlines of the continents
all drawn on it, and easy to see. So it isn't _obvious_ if they show the Earth tilted
that it even _is_ tilted. By leaving the Earth with North at the top, then the way the
light and dark halves move around is obvious.
The picture showing the line between light and dark inclined so that the Arctic regions are lit
should have been accompanied by a picture on Earth from a Northern Hemisphere location showing
the noonday sun high above the horizon - in the summer.
The picture showing that line inclined the other way should have been accompanied by a picture showing
the noonday sun very low on the horizon - in the winter.
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