Sunlight
The angle of the sun in the sky; measured between 0 and 90 degrees above Earth's surface.
Solar Elevation
Direct sunlight hits this line of latitude during the winter Solstice because the southern hemisphere is tilted toward the sun.
Tropic of Capricorn
Take place around March 20th and September 22nd
Equinoxes
The start of this season takes place on September 22nd and ends with the winter solstice.
Fall
Why do we have seasons on Earth.
Sunlight that hits the Earth straight on.
Direct Sunlight
Direct sunlight hits this latitude during the summer solstice because the Northern Hemisphere is tilted toward the sun.
Tropic of Cancer
Takes place around June 21st and December 21st
Solstices
What day of the year does the Northern Hemisphere experience the noon Sun at its highest angle in the sky?
June 20th
The amount of time it takes the Earth to make one revolution around the sun.
365 days
Sunlight that hits the Earth at an angle or slant.
Indirect Sunlight
No matter the time of year, these latitudes only receive indirect sunlight.
Arctic Circle and Antarctic Circle
Two days of the year where direct sunlight is at the equator and neither hemisphere is tilted toward the sun.
Equinoxes
What day of the year does the Northern hemisphere experience the fewest number of daylight hours?
December 20th
What is the tilt of the Earth's axis, measured in degrees?
23.5 degrees
What type of sunlight is an area receiving if: it is tilted away from the sun; the sun has a lower altitude in the sky; and the days are shorter.
Indirect Sunlight
The area between these two lines of latitude experience all seasons.
Tropic of Cancer and Arctic Circle
Tropic of Capricorn and Antarctic Circle
What if you traveled from Cedarburg to the Equator on December 21st? Explain what you would experience in terms of solar elevation and daylight hours as you travel SOUTHWARD.
The sun would appear higher in the sky (greater SE).
The days would get longer (greater DH).
During these two seasons the number of daylight hours are steadily decreasing to their minimum in the northern hemisphere.
Summer and Fall
The word comes from Latin and means "equal" "night". We have two of them each year.
equinoxes
Explain how direct and indirect sunlight warm the Earth differently.
Direct = concentrated, warms quickly
Indirect = spread out, warms slowly
Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn are named after constellations. Name the months of the year associated with these zodiac signs.
Cancer = July
Capricorn = January
What if the Earth did not rotate on a tilt? Name two ways the POLES of the Earth would be affected.
They would not experience 24 hours of day / 24 hours of night.
They would not have change in temperature throughout the year.
During these two seasons the sun's altitude in the sky is steadily increasing to its maximum in the northern hemisphere.
Winter and Spring
Explain the relationship between seasons in the northern hemisphere and the southern hemisphere.
They are opposites.