The
Earth's axis, or Pole, is aligned in the north with the Pole Star - Polaris.
Consequently, in a day's time this star seems to stay put while everything
else in the sky appears to revolve once around it, due to the Earth's rotation.
Objects in the sky appear to rise in the east and set in the west daily,
because the Earth is spinning the other way, from west to east.
The Moon orbits the Earth in a west to east direction (counter clockwise viewed from the north), monthly, rising about fifty minutes later each day (or night). The Moon disappears for about three days as it passes between the Sun and the Earth. As the Moon continues in its orbit, waxing, it can first be seen about to set, soon after the Sun. Having waxed to its fullest and then waned, the Moon rises just before the Sun, then disappears again.
On Earth we are encircled by the horizon. We divide this circle into 360 degrees after the example of the sun. In a years time the sun apppears to make a complete circle through the zodiac, progressing almost 1 degree (day-gree) per day. The division into 360 parts is an idealization of the solar example. More* Back to Codex