Motions of the Earth

Our goals for learning:

What are the main motions of the Earth in space?
How do we see these motions on the ground? How
does it affect our lives?
How does the orientation of Earth's axis change
with time?

What are the Main Motions of

the Earth in Space?
There are 3 main movements:
Rotation (daily)
Orbit or revolution (annual)
Precession (millennia)

1. Daily Motion
Earth moves counterclockwise, so Sun
appears to move clockwise
Sun appears to rise in the East and set
in the west.
Speed average 15/hr for 360 in 24 hrs

View of the Sun With Latitude

Thanks to Earths rotation, the Sun appears to move in the
sky. But, its location depends on the viewer's latitude.
Here is the equinox,
when sunlight falls
evenly everywhere
on the Earth.

View of Daily motion from Ground

Sun path & latitude Hand out

Suns Path in the Local Sky

View of Daily motion

from Ground

Earth rotates west to east

(counterclockwise), so, like the
Sun, stars appear to circle from
east to west. Stars will rise and
set, depending on your location

View of Daily motion from Ground

You will always see of the celestial sphere at one time.
However which part you see depends on your location on
the Earth.
This affects which
stars you see and
the angle at which
you see them.
Some stars will
rotate in and out of
view.

View of Daily motion from Ground

If you are in the northern hemisphere then:
Stars near the north celestial pole never set.
We cannot see stars near the south celestial pole.
All other stars (and Sun, Moon, planets) rise in east and set
in west.
Your Location

Your View

2. Orbital Motion

Thought Question
TRUE OR FALSE? Earth is closer to the Sun in summer
and farther from the Sun in winter.

A. True
B. False

How do we mark the seasons?

We define four special points:
summer solstice (longest day)
winter solstice
spring (vernal) equinox
fall (autumnal) equinox

Summary: The Real Reason for Seasons

Earths axis points in the same direction
(to Polaris) all year round, so its
orientation relative to the Sun changes as
Earth orbits the Sun.
Seasons are caused by.
1) Constant Axial Tilt
2) Orbit around the Sun

Why doesnt distance matter?

Variation of Earth-Sun distance is small
about 3%; this small variation is overwhelmed
by the effects of axis tilt.

View of Orbital Motion From Ground

Summer solstice: Highest
path, rise and set at most
extreme north of due east.

Equinoxes: Sun rises

precisely due east and sets
precisely due west.

Winter solstice: Lowest

path, rise and set at most
extreme south of due east.

When the sun is high in the sky,

its light is more concentrated &
more effective in heating the Earth.

Why does Temperature Change Seasonally?

Summer
High sun angle+ longer time in the sky
=> increased surface heating=> WARM

Winter
Low sun angle+ shorter time in the sky
=> decreased surface heating => COLD!

Seasonal changes are more

extreme at high latitudes
summer solstice at the Arctic Circle-no sunset

Thought Question
It is December 31 and you see 24 hours of
daylight. Where are you standing?
A.
B.
C.
D.

North Pole
Equator
South Pole
San Mateo

The sky varies as Earth orbits the Sun

As the Earth orbits the Sun, the Sun appears to move eastward
along the ecliptic.
The result is that the sun blots out different stars in different
sesaons, while constellations opposite the Sun are visible

The sky varies as Earth orbits the Sun

Different constellations swing into view at different seasons.

How does the orientation

of Earths axis change
with time?
Although the axis seems fixed on
human time scales, it actually
precesses over about 26,000 years.
l

Earths axis precesses like the axis

of a spinning top
l

The View of Precession

from the Ground
Polaris wont always be the
North Star.
Positions of equinoxes shift
around orbit; e.g., spring
equinox, once in Aries, is now
in Pisces!