The ecliptic can be defined as
A)the plane that is perpendicular to the Earth's axis of rotation.
B)the projection of the Earth's equator onto the sky.
C)the path traced out by the Moon in our sky in one month against the background stars.
D)the path traced out by the Sun in our sky over one year against the background stars.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The ecliptic is the path traced out by the Sun in our sky over one year against the background stars, making it the best choice among the given options. Option A refers to the celestial equator, which is an imaginary line on the celestial sphere that lies perpendicular to the Earth's axis of rotation. Option B is also related to the Earth's equator, but it refers to the projection of the Earth's equator onto the celestial sphere. Option C describes the apparent path of the Moon against the background stars during one month, which is called the lunar cycle.

The Ecliptic Can Be Defined as