Woman,127, becomes world's 'oldest person'

[Rlyeh]

If I haven't misunderstood, stellar parallax makes little sense as it is taught. Apparently, it's the observation of star's moving across the background, but the thing is, if one is to believe it's the Earth that is moving, those star's aren't really moving it all. Seems to render the observation redundant and pointless...

Based on the earths orbit, it's one of the methods used to determine the distance of stars. Hardly useless at all.

It's like sitting on one of those 'Moving Teacup' rides as it is in motion, but claiming everything around you is moving.

You got that backwards. In this case the stars are moving back and forth because the earth is orbiting the sun.

[Insaniac]

Based on the earths orbit, it's one of the methods used to determine the distance of stars. Hardly useless at all.

Believe that if you like. I believe the Earth remains still and stars (atleast the Sun) traverse around the Earth.

You got that backwards. In this case the stars are moving back and forth because the earth is orbiting the sun.

But the star's are only "moving" because the Earth is going around the Sun according to this... If it's the Earth that is moving, is only gives the illusion that the star's are...

[+DieChecker]

Well, the stars do rotate (move) around the center of the galaxy.

Edited September 6, 2014 by DieChecker

[Ashyne]

Well, the stars do rotate (move) around the center of the galaxy.

Actually, there is no correct answer as to whether the Sun orbits the Earth or vice versa. If you, for example, have 2 people standing a distance apart and have Person #1 walk in a circle around Person #2, it would seem as if the first person is orbiting the second. However, if you look at it from another perspective, when Person #1 orbits Person #2, in fact, Person #2 is also orbiting around Person #1 at the same time!

[libstaK]

I feel like I just entered the twilight zone.

Actually, this reminds me of a work colleague who was asked where the wind came from. His answer made me feel just like I feel right now.

"The leaves on the trees swaying is what causes the wind".

I feel a headache coming on.

[Frank Merton]

I once asked a young rural river fisherman how the lady in the Moon (in Vietnam she's female) keeps the moon from hitting the earth. He thought awhile and then said he didn't know, but he's sure she knows how to do it. This was 21st century.

Oh, and of course there is the old, "The moon is more useful than the sun -- the moon often shines at night but the sun only in the daytime, when it's light anyway.

Edited September 6, 2014 by Frank Merton

[Frank Merton]

The absence of stellar parallax is why Aristotle decided the earth was stationary, although he understood pretty well the case for saying otherwise (the Greek intellects were pretty smart).

Of course the truth is the stars are so far away that it takes a pretty good telescope to measure it, but it's there. The motion is against stars even further away where the parallax is even smaller (parallax is larger the closer the star).

As for the motion of stars around the galaxy, this is not detectable using lateral motions. Only motion toward and away from us can be measured from studying the spectra (the old "doppler shift" applied to stars).

[Rlyeh]

But the star's are only "moving" because the Earth is going around the Sun according to this... If it's the Earth that is moving, is only gives the illusion that the star's are...

The stars also move slowly along their own orbit, however their movement in the sky is mostly the earth's rotation and orbit.

Actually, there is no correct answer as to whether the Sun orbits the Earth or vice versa. If you, for example, have 2 people standing a distance apart and have Person #1 walk in a circle around Person #2, it would seem as if the first person is orbiting the second. However, if you look at it from another perspective, when Person #1 orbits Person #2, in fact, Person #2 is also orbiting around Person #1 at the same time!

Neither of them are orbiting. Your analogy fails to take into account mass and gravity. Edited September 7, 2014 by Rlyeh