Why is the time at which leo transits the meridian different for mexico city and chicago?
Are they at exactly the same longitude?
The sun comes up earlier in the East.
All celestial objects (not just Leo) cross the celestial meridian from east to west. The city which is easternmost, which is Chicago in this case, witnesses the meridian crossing first.
The time at which the Leo constellation transits the meridian can vary between different locations due to the Earth's rotation and the geographical position of each city. To understand this, we need to look at a few key factors:
1. Earth's Rotation: The Earth rotates on its axis, completing one rotation in approximately 24 hours. This rotation causes celestial objects, including the Leo constellation, to appear to move across the sky.
2. Latitude: The latitude of a location determines its distance from the Earth's equator. Latitude plays a role in how high or low objects appear in the sky. Locations closer to the equator have objects overhead at higher angles, while those farther from the equator have objects at lower angles.
Now, let's consider the specific examples of Mexico City and Chicago:
Mexico City is situated around 19 degrees north latitude, while Chicago is around 41 degrees north latitude. Since Mexico City is closer to the equator (lower latitude), celestial objects like Leo will reach their highest point in the sky (transit the meridian) at a more directly overhead position compared to Chicago.
Due to the Earth's rotation from west to east, objects reach their highest point in the sky (cross the meridian) approximately four minutes earlier each day. Therefore, Leo will transit the meridian earlier in Mexico City compared to Chicago because of the difference in latitude, even though both cities are in the same time zone.
To find out the exact time at which Leo transits the meridian for Mexico City or Chicago on a particular day, you can use specialized software or websites that provide astronomical data and calculate the specific time for each location.