Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Wondering How Things Got Their Names?

Now that is way to large a subject for one blog, it would take a series of blogs to answer that question.  So, I am going to narrow it down to things pertaining to astronomy. . . bet you would never have guessed astronomy (grin).  First question is: How did the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn get their names?  Do you know?  I didn't know the correct answer, but figured it has to do with the constellations with those names.  Well, I figured correctly but why were they named that?

From a little reading from my newest edition of Astronomy, I found out that way, way back several thousand years ago, the sun was in front of those two constellations.  I bet you guessed that the sun was in front of Cancer at the summer solstice and in front of Capricorn at the winter solstice.  Over time our sun and solar system moved through space and the perspective, and thus positions of other objects changed also.  Not only does the Earth travel around the sun, the solar system travels around tucked in an arm of the Milky Way spiral galaxy, and the galaxy travels through our universe and I am sure our universe travels through something greater and larger.  Everything is in motion.  Not only the extremely large, but also the extremely small.  I just try to sit still and watch everything go by, but no, I actually rock most of the time in my recliner/rocker.

OK, I lied to you at the start.  I said "first question is", but I didn't post a second or third question.  Maybe I will do that later on down the road.  Now, you all have a great day as we wait for the summer solstice, you hear?

11 comments:

  1. I didn't know that, and now I do. Both names sound very exotic. Now you set me to wondering what our universe might be a larger part of, since we don't really know how far the universe actually extends. It's mind boggling, isn't it?

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    1. We are such a very tiny part of this huge universe and what ever may lay beyond, it is so humbling.

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  2. My name is Dana, and dad's name is Dan, so I thought I had it all figured out until I asked mom if that's how I got my name, and she said "No." How can something so logical not have happened! When I got older I asked "Is it from Dana Wynter?" An actress at the time. And she said "No." I gave up. Never did figure out how I got nailed with it.

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    1. I don't care what your mom says, you were named after your dad. . . (grin)

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  3. In some cultures knowing the true name of something gives you power over it. In our case it makes it easier to look up on Gloogle. :)

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    1. What did we ever do without Google?!?!? I don't want power over stuff, I just like to know what its name is.

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  4. Very interesting. Glad I read this today. You never know when I might need information like this!

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    1. I am good at posting useless information. I doubt if you will ever need it unless it is to settle an argument.

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  5. All I know is when we're traveling through Mexico I always have my camera ready when we cross the Tropic of Cancer... I figure I'm finally going to get warm and I want to document the exact time ;-)

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    1. Yep, that means you are getting into the tropics.

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  6. February 18, 2015

    Hi
    There is something before the solists, come ome on March.
    George

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