Stuff like this keeps me awake at night

[Occhidiangela]

Uh, several things here...

A rotation is when something spins on its axis. Revolution is when one thing orbits another. Planets revolve around the sun; they don't rotate around it. For Earth, we count one revolution to be one year and one rotation to be one day.

"Ovular" relates to ovaries. An orbit that is oval is said to be elliptical. In general, orbits are elliptical. Kepler (correctly) suggested this several hundred years ago, and Newton's calculus and physics backed him up on this. The rumor you heard was invented by someone with medieval notions of basic celestial mechanics.

-Lemmy
[right][snapback]102323[/snapback][/right]

Professor Lem, sir, a query regarding your distinction between revolution and rotation -- for which I thank you in an astrophysical sense, likewise the ovular versus elliptical correction. I am a bit confused, either due to coommon usage or because the rotating door at the bank whacked me in the head as I attempted to exit, too slowly, this morning just after I had deposited some money in my revolving account. :wacko:

Is my six cylinder, .357 Magnum pistol actually a rotator, not a revolver? :lol:

Are the "revolutions per minute" measured as rpm on my tachometer, or my turntable's old platter rotation speed of 33 1/3, actually a measure of "rotations per minute?" Are South and Central American calendars measured in the Bolivaran scale of RPD -- revolutions per decade? Something about a Villan frame of reference is nagging at the back of my brain.
:whistling:
Anything you can do to resolve my confusion would be appreciated, Professor Lem. (Who looks suspiciously like Sergeant Pygmy) My brain hurts due to a local caffeine shortage.

Occhi