現在、地球は公転軌道上のどの辺を進んでいるでしょう。

　今日５月５日は子供の日であると共に、二十四節気では「立夏」です。早くも「立春」から３ヶ月が経ちました。ところで、太陽の回りを１年かけて周遊している地球は現在、「宇宙空間の、一体、どの辺を公転しているでしょうか。」

　それを知るには、午前０時に真南を見て判断します。そこには「天秤座」があります。ご存じの通り、太陽系の周囲には黄道十二星座がほぼ等間隔に並び、「天秤座」もその一つで、西に「おとめ座」があり、東は「さそり座」と接してます。ですから、地球は現在「天秤座」の方向にありますが、今後、次第に「さそり座」の方向に公転して行きます。

　ところで、「天秤座」は紀元前に天の赤道の位置にあったとされ、南半球と北半球を天秤に測って丁度釣り合ってると考えたのでしょう。しかし、現在、天秤座は天の赤道にはありません。その理由は自転してる地球がコマのように頭を振る歳差運動に因ると考えられてます。

　歳差運動の周期は約２６０００年と計算され、この運動は今後も続き、例えば北極星は真北の位置ではなくなると考えられてます。正に天文学的な遠い未来のことで、私たちは心配しなくていいでしょう。

　話は変わりますが、写真の花は現在、西隣のＴさんの庭で咲いてる「クレマチス」です。二年前にＴさんの奥様から聞いて私は驚きましたが、この「クレマチス」は生前に妻がＴさん宅にプレゼントしたのだそうです。すでに２０年以上、毎年咲いているそうで不思議なこともあるものです。そのＴさんはすでに亡くなり、現在、奥様は施設に入居されてますが、昨今の感染対策により私は会えない状況にあり、寂しいです。

Dear my friends abroad

　The simultaneous interpretation for your understanding will be after my breakfast in Japan time.

...............................

　Today, May 5th, is Children's Day in our nation, as well as "Ritsuka" that means the first day of summer in the 24 solar calendars. It's already been three months since the first day of spring. By the way, what side of revolving space is our Earth currently revolving around?

　To know this question, you should look at due south at midnight. There's Libra. As you know, the zodiacal constellations are arranged at approximately equal intervals around the solar system, and ``Libra'' is one of them, with Virgo to the west and Scorpio to the east. Therefore, the Earth will gradually revolve in the direction of the constellation Scorpio.

　By the way, "Libra" was said to have been located at the celestial equator in BC, and it was probably thought that the southern hemisphere and the northern hemisphere were exactly balanced by Libra. However, Libra is currently not on the celestial equator. The reason for this is thought to be due to the precession of the rotating Earth, which shakes its head like a top.

　The period of precession is calculated to be approximately 26,000 years, and it is thought that this movement will continue. For example, Polaris will no longer be located at due north. In the astronomically distant future, so that we needn't worry about it.

　On a different topics, the flower in the photo is a "clematis" currently blooming in Mr. T's garden next door to my west. I was surprised to hear that Mr. T's wife said two years ago that this "clematis" was presented to Mr. T's home as a gift by my deceased wife during she was alive. It seems that it has been blooming every year for over 20 years, which is strange. Mr. T has already passed away, and his wife is currently living in a facility, but due to recent infection control measures, I am unable to see her and feel lonely.

https://ttsreader.com/ja/...