Stellar rotation

Discussion in 'Astronomy, Exobiology, & Cosmology' started by sscully, Jul 12, 2014.

  1. sscully Registered Member

    Messages:
    201
    Anyone have any knowledge on if stars tend to rotate in a certain direction (clockwise vs counterclockwise) or if its just about 50/50?
     
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  3. Enmos Valued Senior Member

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    I would say 50/50. It is known that 50% of galaxies rotate clockwise and 50% rotate anti-clockwise. Whether a galaxy (or star) rotates clockwise or anti-clockwise depends on your perspective anyway.
     
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  5. sscully Registered Member

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    Yeah derp self, I realized after asking ;-D Thanks mate! Being reminded of the galaxy statistic was very helpful. Appreciated!
     
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  7. Declan Lunny Registered Senior Member

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    131
    It depends entirely on the place you are viewing from. With stars or even galaxies. In spacetime there is not UP/DOWN or EAST/WEST or LEFT/RIGHT or NORTH/SOUTH except one arbitrarily selected by the observer.

    If you stood "beneath" the Earth and looked up at it rotating, you would view it turning in a "clockwise" fashion. But if your vantage point was "above" the Earth you would view it as turning in a "counterclockwise" fashion. Regardless of which you were viewing from, physically you could call either up or down without any physical error in what you are viewing.

    Same with stars, galaxies or anything else, the universe has no "directions or centers" except those we arbitrarily assign and make into conventions.
     
  8. youreyes amorphous ocean Valued Senior Member

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    2,830
    spin a ball on a table it will turn one direction, turn the head upside down it will be turning the opposite direction in FOV.
     

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