Re: Nutation

[Chuck Britton <britton@NCSSM.EDU>]

Careful there Jim.
It is a question that might constitute 'trolling' for the 'tide' thing.

If you have an explanation that does NOT include the nasty 'tidal
bulge' - please share it with the rest of us.

At 10:52 PM -0600 9/20/03,  Jim Green wrote:

> Do I understand the following :
>
> Currently the spin axis of the Earth is ~23o off perpendicular to the
> orbital plane.
>
> The spin axis precesses with a period of ~23kyr
>
> So I ask the following:
>
> How far off the perpendicular does this axis get?
>
> Why does the axis precess?  ie What is the external force?
>
> Does this axis also nutate?
>
>
> Jim Green
> mailto:JMGreen@sisna.com
> http://users.sisna.com/jmgreen


--
Chuck Britton                                   Education is what is left when
britton@ncssm.edu                       you have forgotten everything
North Carolina School of Science & Math         you learned in school.
(919) 416-2762                                  Albert Einstein,        1936