An astro-nav question

MedMan

MedMan

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Joined
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One of my favourite hymns is 'The day thou gavest, Lord is ended.' It contains a verse that begins:

The sun that bids us rest is waking
our brethren 'neath the western sky

Is it?

To expand upon the question a little: Given that this hymn is usually sung in the late afternoon or early evening, are those of our brethern experiencing sunrise at that time to the west of us or to the east? Does it make any difference where on earth we are when we sing the hymn? Does it make any difference what time of year it is?
 
West

No

No

Any more questions? /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

(How exactly is this nav related?)
 
From 21 September to 21 June in northern latitudes daybreak does indeed lie to the west at sunset. For the other 6 months it lies to the east!
 
[ QUOTE ]
West

No

No

Any more questions? /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

(How exactly is this nav related?)

[/ QUOTE ]

1 Could be either, depending on time of year.

2 Yes, for a given time of year depends on whether you are north or south of the equator.

3 Yes, for a given place depends on time of year

4 It's nav related because anyone with a reasonable knowledge of astro-nav can provide a correct answer. As in jhh's answer.
 
[ QUOTE ]
How exactly is this nav related?

[/ QUOTE ] Only very loosly! Both require a good understanding of the relative movement of astro bodies.
 
[ QUOTE ]
From 21 September to 21 June in northern latitudes <span style="color:red">daybreak</span> does indeed lie to the west at <span style="color:red">sunset</span>. For the other 6 months it lies to the east!

[/ QUOTE ]

You lost me there! Could simply be a language barrier of course.

Perhaps you could elaborate?

Thanks.
 
In the northern winter there is less than 12 hours daylight. Therefore when you look west at the setting sun the sunrise line is less than 180 degrees away in the WEST. In the summer, daylight is longer than 12 hours so sunrise is more than 180 degrees to the west i.e. EAST
 
What a load of cod\'s ......

East and West in this matter are relative not aboslute points .... any point that is to the left when facing south is East, any point that is to right when facing south is West.

Because for simple matter taking a meridional line from your position - east / west is relative to .....

The sun rises IN the East ..... sets IN the west .... not on some abitrary compass point location.

So I'd better fit my house on a turntable then to correct E / W depending on time of year ....... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
Yes, very true, but wherever you are, whatever your position (apart from polar regions) you would still look towards the 'East' to see 'your' rising sun.

It is also true that when we see the sun setting in the 'West', at that very instant someone else would be seeing sunrise from his 'East', even though he would still be to the West of our position.

When the world was flat, we did not have these problems /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
From 21 September to 21 June in northern latitudes daybreak does indeed lie to the west at sunset. For the other 6 months it lies to the east!

[/ QUOTE ]

Is it possible you meant to say 21 September to 21 March i.e. equinox to equinox?
 
Which ever way you say the equinox ....

It's still a load of cods ..... !!

/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
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