h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I thought that "rotate" was used for planets turning on their axis and "revolve" for travelling on a circular path around the sun. But when I look in the dictionary it says either word can be used for either concept. Is there a standard or preferred use?

Never really thought about it before.

I would have said they were interchangeable but I'd go along with your first thought. Personally I do tend to use 'rotate' in relation to an axis, as in 'rotates on its axis' The other way seems foriegn somehow.

It's probably just informal learned convention.

Deke

It has relevance to Shagbark's Solar System update, which is in Peer Review at the moment.

A Google search for "revolve rotate" suggests that astronomers do use that convention. These seem to be reputable examples:

NASA: http://www.nasa.gov/worldbook/moon_worldbook.html
"The moon rotates on its axis once every 29 1/2 days... But the moon revolves around Earth"

Some astronomy lecture notes: http://www.astronomy.ohio-state.edu/~pogge/Ast161/Unit4/movearth.html
"How do you prove that the Earth really does rotate upon its axis and revolve around the Sun?"

The Bad Astronomy Blog (written by an astronomer): http://www.badastronomy.com/bad/movies/powers.html
"Something that spins about an axis is said to rotate; something that makes a path around another object is said to revolve. The Earth rotates around its axis, but it revolves around the Sun."

Thanks, Aurora.