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Solar Polar Alignment

Posted: Mon Mar 20, 2017 2:36 pm
by BDanielMayfield
As most know, the Earth's North Pole is roughly aligned with Polaris, the North Star, located near 90 degrees north on the celestial sphere. Where though are the Sun's polar points located? Edit: To what points on the sky do the Sun's poles point?

Bruce

Re: Solar Polar Alignment

Posted: Mon Mar 20, 2017 3:15 pm
by Chris Peterson
BDanielMayfield wrote:As most know, the Earth's North Pole is roughly aligned with Polaris, the North Star, located near 90 degrees north on the celestial sphere. Where though are the Sun's polar points located? Edit: To what points on the sky do the Sun's poles point?
The Sun, which is curiously tilted with respect to the ecliptic, has its north pole at 286.1°+63.9°, placing it in Draco, a few degrees from delta Dra (Altais). The Sun's south pole is at 106.1° -63.9°.

Re: Solar Polar Alignment

Posted: Mon Mar 20, 2017 5:30 pm
by BDanielMayfield
Chris Peterson wrote:The Sun, which is curiously tilted with respect to the ecliptic, has its north pole at 286.1°+63.9°, placing it in Draco, a few degrees from delta Dra (Altais). The Sun's South Pole is at 106.1° -63.9°.
Thanks. I couldn't find these points myself. I did find that the Sun's obliquely to the ecliptic is 7.25 degrees, which I surmise is the angle between due north or south to those points.

It is curious that the Sun's rotation is tilted by 7.25 degrees to the plane of the ecliptic, since everything in the solar system was formed from the same collapsing cloud of gas and dust. (Please don't think that I doubt this for any reason, because I don't.)

Bruce

Re: Solar Polar Alignment

Posted: Mon Mar 20, 2017 5:36 pm
by Chris Peterson
BDanielMayfield wrote:It is curious that the Sun's rotation is tilted by 7.25 degrees to the plane of the ecliptic, since everything in the solar system was formed from the same collapsing cloud of gas and dust. (Please don't think that I doubt this for any reason, because I don't.)
Its tilt is closer to 6° from the invariable plane, which is mostly determined by Jupiter, and is therefore very close to Jupiter's orbital plane. There has been some work over the last year or two arguing why this might be.

Re: Solar Polar Alignment

Posted: Tue Mar 21, 2017 3:30 am
by BDanielMayfield
Chris Peterson wrote:Its tilt is closer to 6° from the invariable plane, which is mostly determined by Jupiter, and is therefore very close to Jupiter's orbital plane. There has been some work over the last year or two arguing why this might be.
So, another clue to the existence of the elusive Planet X, err, 9? Cool.

Bruce

Re: Solar Polar Alignment

Posted: Wed May 03, 2017 11:25 am
by starsurfer
BDanielMayfield wrote:
Chris Peterson wrote:Its tilt is closer to 6° from the invariable plane, which is mostly determined by Jupiter, and is therefore very close to Jupiter's orbital plane. There has been some work over the last year or two arguing why this might be.
So, another clue to the existence of the elusive Planet X, err, 9? Cool.

Bruce
Nibiru is coming! Prepare for doom! :lol2:

Re: Solar Polar Alignment

Posted: Wed May 03, 2017 1:46 pm
by neufer
BDanielMayfield wrote:
Chris Peterson wrote:
Its tilt is closer to 6° from the invariable plane, which is mostly determined by Jupiter, and is therefore very close to Jupiter's orbital plane. There has been some work over the last year or two arguing why this might be.
So, another clue to the existence of the elusive Planet X, err, 9? Cool.
Jupiter's tilted reign on the invariable plane Planet Nine might explain :?: