<p>Imagine you are watching a car drive down the street from right to left (in front of a building.  It goes from right to left.</p>
<p>Now imagine watching that car with your head on your left shoulder.  The car goes from the bottom of your point of view to the top.</p>
<p>If you move your head as the car is driving past, you will see it come from the right but leave to the top of your point of view.  This doesn't mean that the car changes direction, only your head is turning.</p>
<p>This is relevant because the rotation of the Earth means that over the time of the eclipse, your head turns. If you make a representation that keeps the horizon level and the sun in the centre, the motion of the moon relative to the sun will appear to curve.  This is nothing to do with the actual motion of the moon it is just an effect of the turning of the observer by the spinning of the Earth.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-19T06:20:41.377Z
2020-06-19T06:20:41.377Z
James K
<p><strong><a href="https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/@8133395?iso=20200621" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/@8133395?iso=20200621</a></strong></p>
<p>The link I have attached is a predicted model for the eclipse in my area! I am very much confused about the movement of the moon analogous to the video in the link. Community, The movement seems like a parabola curve and no-doubt the model is telling it very well. In other ways, the motion also appears as bouncing of an object! I might have interpreted it in wrong sense or maybe not but that's no matter of concern ;-). A detailed answer would be a piece to take away from this question. Also, I suppose it to be a matter of Orbital Dynamics.</p>
<p>-</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-18T16:37:30.743Z
See https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/questions/36509/can-a-single-location-on-earth-witness-solar-eclipse-totality-2-times-during-a-s The question is different, but the answer is the same: The "parabola" is an effect of your head rotating as the Earth spins.  The actual motion of the moon is pretty much in a straight line, but the angle of that line changes as the Earth turns.
James K
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-18T16:42:59.213Z
@JamesK I am grateful for the answer. However, I would acknowledge if explained in more detail i.e elaborating and minute explanation of the process
Pranay
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-18T17:07:12.737Z
My point is that there is nothing "interesting" here.  It isn't a orbital dynamics.  It is just because of the choice of projection of timeandate.com and the fact that you head is turning during the day.
James K
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-18T17:08:03.943Z
Would u mind in taking efforts to get me through some nice visualization?
Pranay
<the-sun><the-moon><astrophysics><solar-eclipse>
What are the Kinematics / Dynamics behind the motion?
Pranay
# What are the Kinematics / Dynamics behind the motion?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-06-18)

**<https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/@8133395?iso=20200621>**

The link I have attached is a predicted model for the eclipse in my area! I am very much confused about the movement of the moon analogous to the video in the link. Community, The movement seems like a parabola curve and no-doubt the model is telling it very well. In other ways, the motion also appears as bouncing of an object! I might have interpreted it in wrong sense or maybe not but that's no matter of concern ;-). A detailed answer would be a piece to take away from this question. Also, I suppose it to be a matter of Orbital Dynamics.

-

**Tags:** the-sun, the-moon, astrophysics, solar-eclipse

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: See https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/questions/36509/can-a-single-location-on-earth-witness-solar-eclipse-totality-2-times-during-a-s The question is different, but the answer is the same: The "parabola" is an effect of your head rotating as the Earth spins.  The actual motion of the moon is pretty much in a straight line, but the angle of that line changes as the Earth turns.  
> **username_0**: @JamesK I am grateful for the answer. However, I would acknowledge if explained in more detail i.e elaborating and minute explanation of the process  
> **username_1**: My point is that there is nothing "interesting" here.  It isn't a orbital dynamics.  It is just because of the choice of projection of timeandate.com and the fact that you head is turning during the day.  
> **username_0**: Would u mind in taking efforts to get me through some nice visualization?  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2020-06-19. Score: 3

Imagine you are watching a car drive down the street from right to left (in front of a building. It goes from right to left.

Now imagine watching that car with your head on your left shoulder. The car goes from the bottom of your point of view to the top.

If you move your head as the car is driving past, you will see it come from the right but leave to the top of your point of view. This doesn't mean that the car changes direction, only your head is turning.

This is relevant because the rotation of the Earth means that over the time of the eclipse, your head turns. If you make a representation that keeps the horizon level and the sun in the centre, the motion of the moon relative to the sun will appear to curve. This is nothing to do with the actual motion of the moon it is just an effect of the turning of the observer by the spinning of the Earth.


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