Help w/ Astronomical question

[Mutualcode at aol.com]

Mark:

 "I am an astronomer who has recently started reading the pynchon-list, 
  so I thought I would take a shot at answering your question.

  Imagine that you are looking down on the earth and entire solar 
  system(sun + planets) from well above (millions of miles) the earth's 
  north pole. Looking down, you would see the earth revolving around 
  the sun in a counter-clockwise direction; and you would see the earth 
  rotating around its axis in the same direction...."

 Mark, thanks much! That helps alot. Glad to have an astronomer
 on board.

 mc