solar orientation

[mr. piper]

Am i right in thinking that in the same way as when we look at a map, we assume north to be upright, that we also do it in space, and put our solar system orientated as if it were balls on a table (in the manner we would use one to eat off), yet it could be equally well represented as a collection of balls stuck in the fasion of a dartboard, that is if the board was hung as a competition one would be(upright on a wall) Is this something to do with our brains? we could think of these things differently, but as far as i can see unconnected people in seperate times and cultures do tend to orientate things similarly, is it me again being complicated? but these things do seem to be taken for granted!

[landie]

You would need to imagine it as a three dimensional arrangement that changes with the fourth dimension, time.

Sort of similar to birds sitting in a tree, they don't all sit in line. They're all over the place.

[Hammer]

The planets orbit more or less in the same plane (ie could be represented on a flat surface). Whether that plane is represented in a diagram or model as vertical or horizontal or somewhere in between is irrelevant as you have suggested.

 

We probably think of it as horizontal because we're used to seeing it printed in books, but your dartboard idea would be equally valid.

[BillyBB]

Usually represented with the planet Earth having the north pole to the top just like an atlas.

[Backdrifter]

It's not 'irrelevant' but it is arbitary. It could equally have been decided that the south pole was in fact the north, or "top" one, which would mean all our maps and perception of the world would be the inverse of what they are now. Then again, what's to have stopped us making the poles "east" and "west"? Thus effectively turning our world view and the solar system on its edge.