Yes, it has been a long and busy year, with a lot of changes both here on MTGS and elsewhere in the world. But not so many changes that the world has not completed its circuit around the sun once again, and so we are gathered here to celebrate that achievement on this day of the circle constant, 3/14, Pi Day!
...except the earth's orbit is not a circle. It is an ellipse, and as such the earth varies in its distance from the sun. So are we celebrating on the wrong day? The ratio of half the orbital perimeter to the distance at aphelion (a calculation which, on a circle, would produce pi) says we should celebrate on March 9th, and at perihelion, March 19th. However, I am pleased to report that if we base our calculation on the earth's average distance from the sun -- the orbit's semi-major axis -- we get a value of 3.1417 and change. In short: pi may be irrational, but our orbit isn't very eccentric. Which means that today, March 14th, we can with three significant digits and a clear conscience commemorate both a remarkable number and the remarkable yearly journey of this great big rock we call home.
So put your pastries in the oven and break out your Just Desserts decks, for today we party for pi!
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Vive, vale. Siquid novisti rectius istis,
candidus inperti; si nil, his utere mecum.
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...except the earth's orbit is not a circle. It is an ellipse, and as such the earth varies in its distance from the sun. So are we celebrating on the wrong day? The ratio of half the orbital perimeter to the distance at aphelion (a calculation which, on a circle, would produce pi) says we should celebrate on March 9th, and at perihelion, March 19th. However, I am pleased to report that if we base our calculation on the earth's average distance from the sun -- the orbit's semi-major axis -- we get a value of 3.1417 and change. In short: pi may be irrational, but our orbit isn't very eccentric. Which means that today, March 14th, we can with three significant digits and a clear conscience commemorate both a remarkable number and the remarkable yearly journey of this great big rock we call home.
So put your pastries in the oven and break out your Just Desserts decks, for today we party for pi!
candidus inperti; si nil, his utere mecum.