[Robh (Rob)]

Hi Jim,

From a different perspective. The Sun is not moving (ignoring its axial rotation, movement within the galaxy and the motion of the galaxy as well). It is the Earth that is moving both on its axis and around the Sun (orbital motion).

On any day, the path of the Sun in the sky is an illusion caused by the axial rotation, tilt and curvature of the Earth. In winter, the Sun is lowest at midday and this path appears shallower i.e. is not followed as far around the curvature of the Earth. In summer, the Sun is highest at midday and the path can be followed further around the curvature of the Earth.

Remember that all the constellations are in the sky all the time. It's just that in the daytime, when your side of the Earth is facing the Sun, you can't see the constellations behind the Sun. As the Earth orbits the Sun over a year, the constellations behind the Sun will shift relative to the Earth's position. In the same way, the constellations you can see at night at a particular time (say 10pm) will also shift over a year. The Earth takes roughly 365 days to orbit the Sun. There are 360 degrees in a revolution. So this shift in the night-sky view (again at say 10pm) is about 1 degree per day or 30 degrees per month or roughly one of the 12 zodiacal constellations per month.

Regards, Rob