And according to physics, Earth orbits faster when it is nearer the sun than when it is farther. Does this, in any way, affect the length of day in the earth?

Question

Hazel Asher · Accepted Answer

Yes.

One of the factors influencing the length of a day, which is defined as the time interval between two distinct passages of a particular meridian (rather than a 24-hour day), is the angle at which the Sun crosses Earth during its annual journey north or south. Specifically, at equinoxes, the Sun gains time by traveling precisely west, but at solstices, it loses time by traveling slightly north or south. These two effects combine to form what is known as the equation of time. Time Equation: https://tutor.hix.ai These effects would appear as variations in the Sun's position if you were to take a picture of it at precisely the same time of day. This figure is known as an analemma. The free encyclopedia Wikipedia has an article called "Analemma" at https://tutor.hix.ai

Levi Anderson · Answer

undefined Yes, Earth's orbital speed variations have little effect on how long the day is.