Ask Ethan #37: The Earth’s Motion Through The Galaxy

It’s all relative, but what you might have seen probably isn’t accurate.

“There is no such thing as perpetual tranquillity of mind while we live here; because life itself is but motion, and can never be without desire, nor without fear, no more than without sense.” -Thomas Hobbes

Each week, we tackle a number of issues and topics here on Starts With A Bang, and you always have the freedom to submit your questions and suggestions for the weekly Ask Ethan column, which I consider at the week’s end. This week’s chosen question comes from Marcela Tang, who asks:

I found this video on YouTube about a theory of a helical model for our galaxy. [It] didn’t make much sense for me but I’d like to hear from you. Is it scientifically [accurate]?

First off, we might as well show you the video, by DJ Sadhu:

Now this video, qualitatively, has a few things right. It shows the following true facts:

• The planets orbit the Sun, roughly in…