What distinguishes the Sun’s path across the celestial sphere compared to the paths of the planets?
Answer
The Sun's path is fixed year to year, while planets drift relative to the background stars.
A key element in celestial mechanics is the relative stability of the Sun's apparent annual path compared to other celestial bodies like planets. The path the Sun follows, defined by the ecliptic, remains fundamentally fixed from year to year because it is determined by the Earth's orbital mechanics relative to distant stars. In contrast, planets exhibit apparent retrograde and prograde motion, meaning they drift relative to the fixed background stars over time as they orbit the Sun. Therefore, while the calendar date a constellation is occupied shifts due to precession, the physical geometric path itself is stable for the Sun.
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