At which of the following times would you find the Sun on the celestial equator?
A)vernal equinox and summer solstice
B)autumnal equinox and vernal equinox
C)summer solstice and winter solstice
D)autumnal equinox and winter solstice

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The celestial equator is the projection of the Earth's equator onto the sky. Therefore, the Sun appears on the celestial equator twice during the year, at the equinoxes. The Vernal Equinox occurs around March 20-21 and the Autumnal Equinox around September 22-23. The Summer Solstice (around June 20-21) and Winter Solstice (around December 21-22) are the times when the Sun reaches its highest and lowest points in the sky in relation to the Earth's equator, respectively, but they do not occur on the celestial equator. Therefore, the correct answer is B, autumnal equinox and vernal equinox.

At Which of the Following Times Would You Find the Sun