The concept of fixed directions, such as north, east, west, and south, is based on the Earth's rotation and the reference frame of the observer on the Earth's surface. While it is true that the Earth revolves around the Sun, resulting in seasonal changes, the basic directions remain relatively fixed for practical purposes on a local scale. Here's an explanation:
Earth's Rotation: The Earth rotates on its axis, completing one rotation approximately every 24 hours, which gives rise to the cycle of day and night. The rotation defines the concept of north, east, west, and south as relative directions based on the observer's position. North is the direction towards the Earth's North Pole, south is towards the South Pole, east is to the right of the observer facing north, and west is to the left of the observer facing north. These directions are determined by the Earth's rotation axis and provide a consistent reference frame for navigation and orientation.
Earth's Revolution: The Earth's revolution around the Sun takes approximately 365.25 days, resulting in the changing seasons. As the Earth orbits the Sun, the tilt of its axis causes different parts of the Earth to receive varying amounts of sunlight, leading to the changes in weather and the progression of seasons. However, these seasonal changes primarily affect factors such as temperature, daylight hours, and the position of the Sun in the sky, rather than significantly altering the fundamental directions of north, east, west, and south.
Local Reference Frame: For practical purposes on a local scale, the fixed directions are based on the Earth's rotation and the reference frame of the observer's immediate surroundings. While the Earth is in motion, the observer's position on the Earth's surface remains relatively unchanged over short periods of time. Therefore, north, east, west, and south provide a stable and convenient frame of reference for navigation, map orientation, and general communication.
It's important to note that when discussing global or celestial reference frames, there are different coordinate systems used, such as latitude and longitude or celestial coordinates, which take into account the Earth's rotation and its orbit around the Sun. However, for day-to-day activities and local navigation, the concept of fixed directions based on the Earth's rotation remains useful and practical.
So, while the Earth's revolution does influence seasonal changes, the basic directions of north, east, west, and south remain relatively fixed in the context of an observer's position on the Earth's surface.