posted May 03, 2016 11:31 AM            

'Just came across this site which has some nice graphics and clear explanations:
http://astrologyclub.org/ecliptic-equator-coordinate-systems/

Please feel free to add links and extra visual aids to this thread. Whatever you find particularly helpful.

posted May 03, 2016 11:44 AM            

And.
I.
Failed.

They're onto me.

posted May 03, 2016 11:50 AM            

You're hilarious.

I'm sorry...it didn't do that to me.

If others have trouble I will remove & replace the link.

posted May 03, 2016 11:52 AM            

Sorry, I was no help. i'll try again... I'm sure it was a one time thing.

Really nice of you to start this thread, btw..

posted May 03, 2016 12:04 PM            

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My argument with a lot of visual "aids" is, they are so complex, they only confuse me.

^^ Too much information

posted May 03, 2016 12:18 PM            

quote:

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The term ecliptic is mentioned often in astrology. It describes the centerline of that which we call the Zodiac, which extends some eight degrees above and below the ecliptic. In other words, the Zodiac is a belt 16° wide centered on the ecliptic. But what defines the ecliptic?

Simply put, the ecliptic is the plane of the Earth’s orbit around the Sun. A plane is merely a flat two-dimensional surface (it has length and width, but no depth). The Earth’s orbit, viewed from the side (like a circle viewed from the side), is a plane. So the ecliptic is the circle (plane) of the Earth’s orbit extended to infinity.

Since we live on the Earth, and not on the Sun, we seem to see the Sun moving along the ecliptic...

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From link in my OP.

quote:

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The ancients established a band of 12 constellations, centered on the ecliptic, and girdling the celestial sphere.
This band of constellations is called the Zodiac and these constellations are referred to as the zodiacal
constellations.

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posted May 03, 2016 12:29 PM            

quote:

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Originally posted by Elysia:
Oh, I see..

Umm, what's NEP, NCP...?

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Overachiever Can't you be patient? We were getting to that....

But here you go:

quote:

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The imaginary line that is perpendicular to the plane of the Earth's orbit, intersects the celestial sphere at 2 points directly opposite one another ( 1800 apart). One point is called the north ecliptic pole (NEP) and the other is
called the south ecliptic pole (SEP).

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posted May 03, 2016 12:33 PM            

I especially love the band-of-constellations representation...

posted May 03, 2016 12:44 PM            

Another look at how it works:

posted May 03, 2016 12:56 PM            

Here's something along those lines...
(Please correct me if I'm wrong--) What it means to have Saturn & Mars in Libra:

posted May 04, 2016 10:32 AM            

Hmm, your pic won't post for me...let me try:

posted May 04, 2016 10:47 AM            

Re: Celestial Equator

quote:

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Almost everyone has heard of the Equator. It is a circle that bands the sphere of the Earth at it’s thickest point, defining 0° of terrestrial latitude and separating the northern hemisphere from the southern hemisphere. The Equator is perpendicular to the Earth’s Axis of Rotation. The Earth spins on its Axis of Rotation once a day, with this Axis tilted 661/2° with respect to the Ecliptic. As a result, the Equator is tilted 231/2° with respect to the Ecliptic.

Since the Equator is a circle, it too is a plane which is perpendicular to the Axis of Rotation, and which passes through the center of the Earth. When we extend this plane out into space, it becomes the Celestial Equator, which is, again, tiled with respect to the Ecliptic by an angle of 23 1/2°.

....

At the Vernal Equinox, which is the beginning of spring, and also defines 0° Aries (at least in the Tropical Zodiac), the Earth’s Axis of Rotation is perpendicular to the Sun, and perpendicular to the Line of Intersection between the Ecliptic and the Celestial Equator. The days and nights all over the globe are of equal length (the word equinox is derived from the medieval Latin aequus, meaning equal, and nox meaning night).

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Before I saw that lower graphic I had no idea why the equinoxes are what they are.

posted May 04, 2016 01:08 PM            

quote:

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Originally posted by Faith:

Hmm, your pic won't post for me...let me try:

Wow that looks cool

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