Patterns
How often does Manhattanhenge occur each year?
Twice.
Describe the relationship between the sun, Earth, and moon.
The moon orbits the Earth, which orbits the Sun.
When is the winter solstice?
December 21 - 23
What is a new moon?
the phase of the moon when it is in conjunction with the sun and invisible from earth
What does "vernal" mean?
Spring
Describe how the amount of daylight has changed over hundreds of years.
The amount of daylight has remained the same on specific dates each year (example: June 1, 2020 and June 1, 1020).
Describe the relationship between the Earth and the North Star (Polaris)?
The North Star is in line with Earth's axis, so it appears not to move as the Earth rotates.
When is the summer solstice?
June 20 - 21
How often do the lunar phases repeat?
Monthly
This line separates the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.
Equator
Describe how the amount of solar elevation has changed over hundreds of years.
Solar elevation has stayed approximately the same.
Why does Earth have day and night?
Earth's rotation means that half of the Earth is facing the Sun (day) while the other half is facing away from the Sun (night).
What type of sunlight does a hemisphere receive when it is tilted away from the sun?
Indirect sunlight
What is the difference between waxing crescent and waning crescent?
Waning = shrinking
What is an equinox?
Equal day and night
Why does Manhattanhenge occur on (approximately) May 30 and July 12 each year?
May 30 and July 12 are an equal number of days before and after the summer solstice.
What is the longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere?
Why do we experience summer when Australia experiences winter?
Opposite hemispheres - while the Northern hemisphere is pointed toward the Sun and experiencing direct sunlight, while the Southern Hemisphere is pointed away from the Sun and experiencing indirect sunlight.
What phase of the moon comes directly after the first quarter?
Waxing gibbous
What is the midnight sun?
When the day is so long that we can see the Sun at midnight, we call it the midnight Sun.
July 11
Describe two yearly solar patterns?
Hint: Think of amount of sunlight and solar elevation.
The amount of sunlight increases from the winter solstice to the summer solstice, then decreases. Solar elevation follows the same pattern.
What is the measure of the tilt of Earth's axis?
23 - 23.5 degrees
Which Catholic holiday is based off of the Moon?
Easter
What is an analemma?
a plot or graph in the shape of a figure eight that shows the position of the sun in the sky at a given time of day (such as noon) at one specific locale measured throughout the year.