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physical phenomena > process > physical process > motion > axis motion > precession > planetary precession |
planetary precession comparison table |
Subject | has rate | is an instance of | is a kind of | has definition |
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precession | axis motion | The uniformly progressing motion of the pole of rotation of a freely rotating body undergoing torque from external gravitational forces. In the case of the Earth, the component of precession caused by the Sun and Moon acting on the Earth's equatorial bulge is called lunisolar precession; the component caused by the action of the planets is called planetary precession. The sum of lunisolar and planetary precession is called general precession. (See nutation.) | ||
planetary precession | 0".11 per year | precession | The component of general precession caused by the gravitational coupling between the center of mass of the Earth and that of the other planets. The effect of planetary precession is to move the equinox eastward by ≈ 0".11 / year and to diminish the angle between the ecliptic and the equator by about 0".47 / year. |
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