Question

This isnt realy a homework question. Im just trying to fufill my curiosity.

How do we know what angle the Earth or any planet is tilted at?

I ask this only because there is no up, down, left, or right in space. so what do we base what 0 degrees is? Or what is up, down, etc.?

Answer 1

According to common belief/fact the Earth is tilted at a 23.5 deg. angle

Answer 2

@Hero, @hartnn

Answer 3

@kaylarocks001 @Smexi_Girl @Kfins99

Answer 4

Well... That is very hard... xD I think the 0 on the surface is really 23.5, but we consider it to be 0. Because the Earth is tilted, it is like that. We know it is tilted and what it does because people have gone up in space and done this stuff. It was a belief, but now it has been proven.

Answer 5

True, but like i was saying there technically is nothing to base degrees on, since space.. is well... Space! xD or nothing.
Unlike on Earth where there is gravity and ground to base something on there is nothing in space.... So how the heck did people on Earth figure out "how many degrees the Earth is tilted?"
This is a question that has run through my mind over and over again.... xD

Answer 6

You can also prove this using basic geometry/trig. The angle the earth makes with the sun (aka its position in the sky) is not always the same at the same time of day during different seasons. That is a mouthful. Basically saying that during winter at 1pm the sun will not make the same angle with the earth as 1pm during summer. These exact calculations can be done and show that the earth spins around a tilted axis.