<p>There's quite a simple answer to this that no-one seems to have focused on; The photos showing a starwheel effect are taken by pointing the camera at the celestial North Pole (roughly in the direction of Polaris in <em>Ursa Minor</em>). The stars in that part of the sky appear to rotate around the pole and never set (viewed from Texas). This makes a good photo.</p>

<p>The Sun and Moon are never anywhere near the pole. They are found on the <em>ecliptic</em>, which is roughly above the Earth's equator. Viewed from Texas, that's south of you, so as the Earth turns, the Sun and Moon follow an arc across the sky that reaches its highest point due South.</p>

<p>In the image searches, there are a few photos showing Sun/Moon like paths (i.e., low arcs) for stars as well. Those are stars near the ecliptic. The photos aren't so striking as the circumpolar stars, which is why there are more of those.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-08-29T15:56:55.400Z
"They move around on the ecliptic" ... on the timeframe of weeks and months. But on the timeframe of a single night/day they perform the exact same motion as any star.
AtmosphericPrisonEscape
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-08-30T06:10:08.040Z
@AtmosphericPrisonEscape: Sure - I'll tweak it make it clearer..
Oscar Bravo
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-09-24T23:20:05.230Z
Look at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CyG2zc8HkU for star trails at the equator...
DJohnM
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-08-29T09:10:07.683Z
2018-08-30T06:10:42.547Z
2018-08-30T06:10:42.547Z
Oscar Bravo
<p>You are already starting to get it.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>That would make sense at the poles</p>
</blockquote>

<p>What about one meter from the poles?<br>
Or a kilometre?</p>

<p>As long as you can see the celestial pole in the sky, you can see the stars revolve around it at night.</p>

<p>Let us see if you are able to see the celestial pole.</p>

<p>Texas was about 30 degrees north last time I checked:</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/1TmStm.png" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/1TmStm.png" alt="you can!"></a></p>

<p>That explains the circular movement of the stars, the Sun and the Moon.</p>

<p>This is true for all locations on the Earth, except for the equator:</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/uHQ5wm.png" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/uHQ5wm.png" alt="cannot"></a></p>

<p>Is the Earth spinning? That depends, you can always choose a frame of reference that suits you. However, only one of them are non-rotating, the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inertial_frame_of_reference" rel="noreferrer">Inertial frame.</a> In all the others we have fictitious forces acting, like centrifugal or Coriolis forces.</p>

<p>We can test if the Earth rotates by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foucault_pendulum" rel="noreferrer">watching a pendulum throughout a day</a>. The pendulum would then seem to slowly rotate during this period of time, meaning some fictitious "force" is acting on it. That means that we are located in a rotating frame of reference, and thus the Earth rotates.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-04-30T13:06:45.470Z
The Foucault pendulum https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foucault_pendulum is a classic test that verifies the rotation of the earth.
Daddy Kropotkin
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-12T23:08:16.770Z
2016-02-13T10:13:15.347Z
2016-02-13T10:13:15.347Z
SE - stop firing the good guys
<p>Most people consider it common knowledge that the Sun's "movement" in the sky is only <em>perceived</em> due to the <em>Earth's</em> "spin and movement".</p>

<p>Based on this, you'd think that the stars in the night sky (when viewed with time lapse photography) would take a path in the sky similar to the sun. After all, both the sun and stars are practically stationary over the course of one day, given their accepted distances from the earth.</p>

<p>Yet, time lapse photography shows this is not the case.</p>

<p>Compare these photos:</p>

<p>1) <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=time+lapse+sun&amp;tbm=isch" rel="nofollow">Time Lapse of Sun</a></p>

<p>2) <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=time+lapse+stars&amp;tbm=isch" rel="nofollow">Time Lapse of Stars</a></p>

<p>3) <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=time+lapse+moon&amp;tbm=isch" rel="nofollow">Time Lapse of Moon</a></p>

<p>If the Earth's spin is the primary reason for "movement" of things (farther than clouds in the sky), then <strong>why do the sun and moon move through the sky in a similar fashion that is totally different from the sky-path of the stars?</strong> The Earth is said to spin around 360 degrees every 24 hours. It seems to me that everything in the sky should move in one direction where I live (Texas).</p>

<p>To me (in Texas), it seems the stars should sweep from horizon to horizon over the course of the Earth's night-spin (like the sun and moon do). Yet, the time lapse photos show circular paths in the sky for the stars. That would make sense at the poles, but not in Texas!?</p>

<p>-Lonnie Lee Best</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-12T16:41:58.720Z
Any specific time lapses, just not a link to a google search?
SE - stop firing the good guys
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-12T16:46:53.970Z
Perhaps it is a joke from your side but you are right. Any point of view is ok. The question is, what for a coordinate system is good for calculations one want to do. Having an satellite in the earth's orbit the earth could be this coordinate system. Flying to Mars perhaps it would be better you use a coordinate system with the sun in its origin. Directing a telescope to some nebulus it would be better to use coordinates with a galactic centre.
HolgerFiedler
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-12T17:06:24.530Z
@Hohmannfan : Sorry, I thought it would be better to see a collection versus one particular photo; there seems to be a commonness for the most part (for each link).
Lonnie Best
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-12T17:34:53.293Z
I've seen lots of day and night time lapses, and they seem to show the same sort of motion to me (provided the viewpoints and lens angles don't change).  If you want other evidence of Earth's spin, try one of these: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foucault_pendulum
Andy
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-12T20:24:15.083Z
I appreciate all the comments. I'm trying to take them all in.
Lonnie Best
<the-moon><the-sun><earth>
Is the Earth Really Spinning? (honest question)
Lonnie Best
# Is the Earth Really Spinning? (honest question)

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-02-12)

Most people consider it common knowledge that the Sun's "movement" in the sky is only *perceived* due to the *Earth's* "spin and movement".

Based on this, you'd think that the stars in the night sky (when viewed with time lapse photography) would take a path in the sky similar to the sun. After all, both the sun and stars are practically stationary over the course of one day, given their accepted distances from the earth.

Yet, time lapse photography shows this is not the case.

Compare these photos:

1) [Time Lapse of Sun](https://www.google.com/search?q=time+lapse+sun&tbm=isch)

2) [Time Lapse of Stars](https://www.google.com/search?q=time+lapse+stars&tbm=isch)

3) [Time Lapse of Moon](https://www.google.com/search?q=time+lapse+moon&tbm=isch)

If the Earth's spin is the primary reason for "movement" of things (farther than clouds in the sky), then **why do the sun and moon move through the sky in a similar fashion that is totally different from the sky-path of the stars?** The Earth is said to spin around 360 degrees every 24 hours. It seems to me that everything in the sky should move in one direction where I live (Texas).

To me (in Texas), it seems the stars should sweep from horizon to horizon over the course of the Earth's night-spin (like the sun and moon do). Yet, the time lapse photos show circular paths in the sky for the stars. That would make sense at the poles, but not in Texas!?

-Lonnie Lee Best

**Tags:** the-moon, the-sun, earth

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Any specific time lapses, just not a link to a google search?  
> **username_2**: Perhaps it is a joke from your side but you are right. Any point of view is ok. The question is, what for a coordinate system is good for calculations one want to do. Having an satellite in the earth's orbit the earth could be this coordinate system. Flying to Mars perhaps it would be better you use a coordinate system with the sun in its origin. Directing a telescope to some nebulus it would be better to use coordinates with a galactic centre.  
> **username_0**: @Hohmannfan : Sorry, I thought it would be better to see a collection versus one particular photo; there seems to be a commonness for the most part (for each link).  
> **username_3**: I've seen lots of day and night time lapses, and they seem to show the same sort of motion to me (provided the viewpoints and lens angles don't change).  If you want other evidence of Earth's spin, try one of these: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foucault_pendulum  
> **username_0**: I appreciate all the comments. I'm trying to take them all in.  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2016-02-12. Score: 15 | Accepted answer

You are already starting to get it.

> That would make sense at the poles

What about one meter from the poles?  
Or a kilometre?

As long as you can see the celestial pole in the sky, you can see the stars revolve around it at night.

Let us see if you are able to see the celestial pole.

Texas was about 30 degrees north last time I checked:

[![you can!](https://i.sstatic.net/1TmStm.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/1TmStm.png)

That explains the circular movement of the stars, the Sun and the Moon.

This is true for all locations on the Earth, except for the equator:

[![cannot](https://i.sstatic.net/uHQ5wm.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/uHQ5wm.png)

Is the Earth spinning? That depends, you can always choose a frame of reference that suits you. However, only one of them are non-rotating, the [Inertial frame.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inertial_frame_of_reference) In all the others we have fictitious forces acting, like centrifugal or Coriolis forces.

We can test if the Earth rotates by [watching a pendulum throughout a day](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foucault_pendulum). The pendulum would then seem to slowly rotate during this period of time, meaning some fictitious "force" is acting on it. That means that we are located in a rotating frame of reference, and thus the Earth rotates.

> **Comments:**
> **username_7**: The Foucault pendulum https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foucault_pendulum is a classic test that verifies the rotation of the earth.  

---

### Answer by username_4 on 2018-08-29. Score: 10

There's quite a simple answer to this that no-one seems to have focused on; The photos showing a starwheel effect are taken by pointing the camera at the celestial North Pole (roughly in the direction of Polaris in *Ursa Minor*). The stars in that part of the sky appear to rotate around the pole and never set (viewed from Texas). This makes a good photo.

The Sun and Moon are never anywhere near the pole. They are found on the *ecliptic*, which is roughly above the Earth's equator. Viewed from Texas, that's south of you, so as the Earth turns, the Sun and Moon follow an arc across the sky that reaches its highest point due South.

In the image searches, there are a few photos showing Sun/Moon like paths (i.e., low arcs) for stars as well. Those are stars near the ecliptic. The photos aren't so striking as the circumpolar stars, which is why there are more of those.

> **Comments:**
> **username_5**: "They move around on the ecliptic" ... on the timeframe of weeks and months. But on the timeframe of a single night/day they perform the exact same motion as any star.  
> **username_4**: @username_5: Sure - I'll tweak it make it clearer..  
> **username_6**: Look at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CyG2zc8HkU for star trails at the equator...  

---

