Analemma dilema

From: Roy Smith (roy_at_panix.com)
Date: 01/25/05 

Date: Mon, 24 Jan 2005 21:25:17 -0500

I've always "known" that an analemma was a figure-8, and never gave it
much thought as to why it was. Now, I just read that the analemma for
Mars is a single loop (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Analemma).

Is there something special about Mars's orbit which make the curve not
cross itself? At first glance, Mars's orbit (eccentricity, inclination,
etc) doesn't seem terribly different from Earth's.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Analemma dilema
    ... At first glance, Mars's orbit (eccentricity, inclination, ... the analemma has the same origin. ... The sun would travel uniformly along the ecliptic, ... corresponding to perihelion at solstice. ...
    (sci.astro)
  • Re: Climate change
    ... is caused by the Earth's elliptical orbit. ... That is the part that makes the analemma look ... exceeds the effect of axial tilt to the point where one of the lobes ... The Mars analemma looks loosely ...
    (sci.astro.amateur)
  • Re: Climate change
    ... is caused by the Earth's elliptical orbit. ... That is the part that makes the analemma look ... like a figure-8 instead of just an oval. ... explains how the two factors going into the Equation of Time work ...
    (sci.astro.amateur)