Why is the ecliptic often preferred over the celestial equator for precise celestial mapping over short timescales?
Answer
The ecliptic plane changes position relative to background stars at a much slower rate than the celestial equator.
While the celestial equator shifts due to lunisolar precession over 26,000 years, the ecliptic plane shifts much more slowly due to planetary perturbations, making it a relatively more fixed reference for shorter-term calculations.
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