EARTH’S AXIS: Chandler’s Wobble

“Earth’s axis, how much tilt?”

Before World War II, the scientific astronomers, and star gazers communities noticed that certain stars seemed to change their location in the galaxy as the world rotates.

Scientists set up cameras around the Earth on the equator to photograph these star’s location.

What they found over time the stars seemed to change their location but returned to their original location over time, as the world revolved.

They plotted the stars location as photographed and found a convoluted track when the Earth’s rotation cycle was completed, over time.

The scientists ascertained the Earth “wobbled” as it rotated. They called the wobble, “Chandler’s Wobble.”

If my memory serves me correctly, I believe the wobble apex (the center point on the upper Earth’s surface) (North Pole) travels about 110 feet out of concentricity. The study was canceled due to World War II.

TED BOHERR

Coeur d’Alene