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crivas1127 crivas1127
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12 years ago
It says in my astronomy book that a sidereal day is shorter than a solar day, but I am having trouble understanding why and how that is.  Also, how can a sidereal day become longer than a solar day?  I know a sidereal day is the time between appearances of the stars, but I don't understand why that time is a few seconds shorter than a solar day.
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#1
Educator
12 years ago
Good question, you wrote:

Quote from: crivas1127 (12 years ago)
I know a sidereal day is the time between appearances of the stars, but I don't understand why that time is a few seconds shorter than a solar day.

Recall that the sidereal day is determined by the earth's rotation with respect to the stars. The solar day is approximately four minutes longer than the sidereal day. 
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#2
12 years ago
a sidereal day is slightly less than 4 minutes shorter than a solar day.

The Earth moves a little less than a degree around its orbit during the course of one day so after it has completed a rotation with respect to the distant stars it has to rotate that extra degree to bring the Sun into the same apparent position.
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#3
Staff Member
12 years ago
Quote from: crivas1127 (12 years ago)
It says in my astronomy book that a sidereal day is shorter than a solar day, but I am having trouble understanding why and how that is.

U sure that's what your text says?
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