Answer to Question #137306 in Astronomy | Astrophysics for valencia

Question

If you were able to look down at our solar system from above, would the
Earth be rotating clockwise or counter clockwise? Motivate your answer..

Answer 1

On observing solar system from above i.e., 23.5° from North pole of the earth, the earth will rotate counter clockwise on its axis as well as around the sun. This is called Retrograde Motion of earth. Moreover, the sun rises in the east and sets in west, therefore the earth has to rotate from west to east and on observing from above, it would be counter clockwise motion.