This is due to the tidal effects the Moon has on Earth's rotation. Earth's rotation is slowing slightly with time thus, a day was shorter in the past.
The South Pole is the other point where Earth's axis of rotation intersects its surface, in Antarctica.Įarth rotates once in about 24 hours with respect to the Sun, but once every 23 hours, 56 minutes and 4 seconds with respect to other distant stars ( see below). This point is distinct from Earth's North Magnetic Pole. The North Pole, also known as the Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole, is the point in the Northern Hemisphere where Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface. As viewed from the northern polar star Polaris, Earth turns counterclockwise. Earth rotates eastward, in prograde motion. For the duration of daylight and night, see Daytime.Įarth's rotation imaged by Deep Space Climate Observatory, showing axis tiltĮarth's rotation or Earth's spin is the rotation of planet Earth around its own axis, as well as changes in the orientation of the rotation axis in space. 'Earth's rotation period' redirects here.
