SCIE 1920U Chapter Notes - Chapter 2: Celestial Sphere, Celestial Equator, March Equinox
Document Summary
Seasons are a result of the way the tilt of earth"s axis causes sunlight to fall differently on. The sun always rises somewhere in the east, reaches its highest point around noon, then sets somewhere in the west. The sun"s precise path through the sky varies with the seasons. The point directly overhead is the zenith. The boundary between earth and sky defines the horizon. The meridian is an imaginary half-circle stretching from the horizon due south. We can pinpoint the position of any object in the sky by stating its direction along the horizon (sometimes expressed as azimuth) and its altitude above the horizon. Sun"s path is long and high in summer, with the sun rising well north of due east and setting well north of due west. In the winter, the sun"s path is short and low as it rises well south of due east and sets well south of due west.
