Mars is the closest planet to Earth. It orbits the Sun in 1.88 Earth years, or 687 days. On October 30, he began his comeback, also known as a retrograde movement. It will run until January 23, 2023.
The motion of the planets against the background of the stars, as we observe from the Earth, is due to the actual motion of these planets, but also to the motion of the Earth itself. Retraction is the effect of the geometry of the orbits of both planets, as astronomer Rok Nežič of the Armagh Observatory and Planetarium in Northern Ireland explains in an interview with the US “Newsweek”.
Mars wanders in the night sky. Earth will overtake him
When viewed from the North Pole of the Earth, the planets revolve around the Sun in a counterclockwise direction. When observing from the ground, it can be assumed that it is moving east.
Rok Nežič notes that according to Kepler’s laws, planets closer to the sun move faster than planets farther away. This is because the sun’s gravitational influence on them is less. In practice, this means that the Earth “bypasses” the outer planets from time to time as it moves around the Sun.
In this case, it seems to us that Mars stops in the night sky and then begins to move west. In fact, the two planets still move counterclockwise around the sun, but since Earth is past Mars, we think it’s moving in the other direction. When Earth moves far enough from Mars, we’ll once again observe Mars traveling east in the night sky, the astronomer describes.
Mars return. Only Copernicus could explain it
Planetary retrogrades have been a mystery to astronomers for centuries. The ancient Greeks could not explain this movement because it did not agree with their belief in the “perfection of heaven”. It was believed at the time that all planets move in complete circles around the Earth, notes Vahé Peroomian, a physicist at the University of Southern California.
Only Nicholas Copernicus was able to explain the apparent retrograde motion of the planets. In his model of the solar system, he put the sun at the center, not the Earth. This allowed the assumption that the planets could pass at different speeds – the scientist confirms.
See also: Venus and Jupiter will “collide” in the sky. The unique scene will be visible to the naked eye
Rate our article quality:
Your feedback helps us create better content.
Echo Richards embodies a personality that is a delightful contradiction: a humble musicaholic who never brags about her expansive knowledge of both classic and contemporary tunes. Infuriatingly modest, one would never know from a mere conversation how deeply entrenched she is in the world of music. This passion seamlessly translates into her problem-solving skills, with Echo often drawing inspiration from melodies and rhythms. A voracious reader, she dives deep into literature, using stories to influence her own hardcore writing. Her spirited advocacy for alcohol isn’t about mere indulgence, but about celebrating life’s poignant moments.
