Originally posted by Ex_CT2
The Earth is tipped in relation to the plane of the Ecliptic....

Originally posted by Astyanax
Gravity pulls you down to the centre of the Earth, so the sky is always 'up'.

Your position on the planet's surface governs the angle at which celestial objects appear to your vision.

Originally posted by jiggerj

Originally posted by Ex_CT2
The Earth is tipped in relation to the plane of the Ecliptic....

Then I should be looking DOWN from the northeast, not up. (Is it plane or plain?) You're right, plane.

edit on 4/22/2012 by jiggerj because: Plane tired

Originally posted by jiggerj

Originally posted by Ex_CT2
I just noted your comment to another poster that you should not be seeing them at all, at your latitude. Actually, at this time these (putative) planets can still be seen from anywhere in the Northern Hemisphere (if high enough in "your" sky). But again: As you go northward, they will just seem to move southward; but you'd still be looking "up" at them....

This is one of those times I would suggest you go find an "orrery," to see how this all works. I remember when I was a kid, my mom used to wonder how, if we were looking upward at stars and planets, why would their inhabitants not be looking downward at us. She could not visualize how they, too, would be looking up at us. This seems to be one of those things. Once you see it, it will all make sense.

Originally posted by jiggerj

Originally posted by Ex_CT2
I just noted your comment to another poster that you should not be seeing them at all, at your latitude. Actually, at this time these (putative) planets can still be seen from anywhere in the Northern Hemisphere (if high enough in "your" sky). But again: As you go northward, they will just seem to move southward; but you'd still be looking "up" at them....

This is one of those times I would suggest you go find an "orrery," to see how this all works. I remember when I was a kid, my mom used to wonder how, if we were looking upward at stars and planets, why would their inhabitants not be looking downward at us. She could not visualize how they, too, would be looking up at us. This seems to be one of those things. Once you see it, it will all make sense.

I closed my eyes and imagined where the planets are. They are at about 2:00. That's about right, thanks.