No. rotations does the earth make on a single orbit of sun?

1 day = 24h00m
1 Earth rotation = 23h56m

The 4min difference arises because the day is measured relative to the Sun so that the Sun is at the highest point in the sky at the same time each day, but during the course of one rotation about its axis (siderial day) the Earth moves 1/365.25 of the way around the Sun. Note that 4 mins = approx 1/365.25th day.

So in fact the answer is that the Earth rotates about its own axis more times in a year than the number of days in a year! In fact, logic suggests that the answer is 366.25 times.

Am I right?

I think you're right Paul.

Visit this website:

www.analemma.com/

(Click on the name "Analemma.)

Or ask Anthony from Greece,(who was named the world's best Analemma photographer by Sky and Telescope magazine),and you will learn a thing or two about the Earth's orbit.

Peter.

365.25

Thats what i've always been told.

365.2422 days on average

Here's probably the last word on the subject :lol:

cseligman.com/text/sky/rotationvsday.htm (see the table at the end of the web page)

Paul has the right number of rotations.

I think it was a B.C. cartoon years ago that had two guys engaged in the following debate ...

- "The Earth undergoes one revolution every 24 hours."

- "Surely you mean rotation?"

- "Yes, one of them too." :lol:

atb,

John

Paul was right.
The earth rotates 366.25 times every year.
It's quite interesting to see how many people think it is 365.25 per year and I would have thought that as well until I read about it recently.

Darragh

Thanks guys! Seriously I would have answered 365.25 only I thought about it and worked it out from first principles as I hope I explained.

So thanks Darragh for keeping my brain working as I suffer from the lurgy from hell

Clear skies all, they're not here in Larne yet!

P.