22.

2 The EarthMoonSun System

Earths Motions The two main motions of Earth are rotation and revolution. Rotates on its axis
Revolves around the Sun

Precession is a third and very slow motion of Earths axis.

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22.2 The EarthMoonSun System

Motions of Earth
Rotation
Rotation is the turning, or spinning, of a body on its axis. Two measurements for rotation: 1. Mean solar day is the time interval from one noon to the next, about 24 hours. 2. Sidereal day is the time it takes for Earth to make one complete rotation (360) with respect to a star other than the sun23 hours, 56 minutes, 4 seconds.
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Sidereal Day

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22.2 The EarthMoonSun System

Motions of Earth
Revolution
Revolution is the motion of a body, such as a planet or moon, along a path around some point in space. Perihelion is the time in January when Earth is closest to the sun. Aphelion is the time in July when Earth is farthest from the sun.

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22.2 The EarthMoonSun System

Motions of Earth
Earths Axis and Seasons
The plane of the ecliptic is an imaginary plane that connects Earths orbit with the celestial sphere. Because of the inclination of Earths axis to the plane of the ecliptic, Earth has its yearly cycle of seasons.

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The Ecliptic

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22.2 The EarthMoonSun System

Motions of Earth
Precession
Precession traces out a cone over a period of 26,000 years.

EarthSun Motion
The solar system speeds in the direction of the star Vega. The sun revolves around the galaxy. Earth is presently approaching one of its nearest galactic neighbors, the Great Galaxy in Andromeda.
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Precession

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Earth-Sun relationship
Earths Orientation
Seasonal changes occur because Earths position relative to the sun continually changes as it travels along its orbit.

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EarthSun relations
Seasons
Result of
Changing Sun angle Changing length of daylight

Caused by Earths changing orientation to the Sun

Axis is inclined 23 degrees Axis is always pointed in the same direction

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Tilt of Earths Axis

Suns rays striking Earth at a low angle (toward the poles) than rays striking at a high angle (around the equator)
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Daily paths of the Sun at 40 N latitude - June

Notice also how the location of sunrise (east)and sunset (west) changes during a year
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Daily paths of the Sun at 40 N latitude - December

Daily paths of the Sun at 40 N latitude at Equinox (suns angle is 50 )

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Relationship of sun angle and intensity of solar radiation

The higher the angle, the more intense the solar radiation
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EarthSun relationships

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EarthSun relations
Special days (Northern Hemisphere)
Summer solstice June 2122 Suns vertical rays are located at the tropic of Cancer (23 degrees north latitude) Winter solstice December 2122 Suns vertical rays are located at the tropic of Capricorn (23 degrees south latitude)

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EarthSun relations
Special days (Northern Hemisphere)
Autumnal equinox September 2223 Suns vertical rays are located at the equator (0 degrees latitude) Spring equinox March 2122 Suns vertical rays are located at the equator (0 degrees latitude)

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Characteristics of the solstices and equinoxes

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17.1 Atmosphere Characteristics

Length of Daylight
The length of daylight compared to the length of darkness also is determined by Earths position in orbit.

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Length of Daylight (for Northern Hemisphere)

Latitude (degrees) 0 Summer solstice 12 h Winter solstice 12 h Equinoxes 12 h

10
20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

12 h 35 min
13 h 12 13h 56 14 h 52 16 h 18 18 h 27 24 h (for 2 month) 24 h (for 4 month) 24 h (for 6 month)

11 h 25 min
10 h 48 10 h 04 9 h 08 7 h 42 5 h 33 0.00 0.00 0.00

12 h
12 h 12 h 12 h 12 h 12 h 12 h 12 h 12 h

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Summary
The seasonal variations in the amount of solar energy reaching places on Earths surface are caused by the migrating vertical rays of sun and the resulting variations in suns angle and length of daylight. These changes in turn, cause the month to month variations in temperature observed at most locations outside the tropics
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Solstices and Equinoxes

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