Sun and Seasons

Sun and Seasons Tutorial Worksheet

During the Sun & the Seasons animation with the selected latitude being the equator, I observed the sun progressively gets higher in the sky until it is directly overhead at the autumnal equinox and vernal equinox when the rays are perpendicular to the surface area, which also coincides with the maximum radiant energy received. At the winter solstice and summer solstice the sun is lower in the sky and we see a minimum in the radiant energy curve.

During the Sun & the Seasons animation with the selected latitude being the equator, I observed the sun rises in the SE and sets in the SW in the winter months. I observed the sun rises in the NE and sets in the SW during the summer months and rises in the E and sets in the W at the equinoxes.

During the Sun & the Seasons animation with the selected latitude being the equator, I observed the hours of daylight remained nearly constant and the maximum temperature remained nearly constant throughout the year.

During the Sun and Seasons animation with the selected latitude being 23½ degrees, the sun progressively gets higher in the sky until it is directly overhead at the summer solstice when the rays are perpendicular to the surface area, which also coincides with the maximum radiant energy received. At the winter solstice the sun is lowest in the sky and we see the radiant energy at a minimum on the radiant energy curve.  

During the Sun and Seasons animation with the selected latitude being 23½ degrees, I observed 12 hours of daylight at vernal equinox and autumnal equinox, the maximum hours of daylight at summer solstice and the maximum temperature in the summer months.

During the Sun and Seasons animation with the selected latitude being the Arctic Circle (66½ degrees N), the sun progressively gets higher in the sky until it is highest in the sky at the summer solstice when the rays are perpendicular to the surface to the surface area, which also coincides with...