More with seasons

This celestial sphere diagram shows the path of the sun as it moves through the sky on 4 different days of the year at a location in New York State. Always pay attention to the cardinal directions on the domes. You, the observer, are standing in the gray, shaded area at the intersection of the 2 dotted lines.

The top of the sphere (where the protractor is located) represents the highest, solar noon, altitude of the sun for that day. To see the sun at noon on any day of the year, the observer must look _______________. South

PATH D-D’: It is the longest path. It will take the sun the longest time to travel this path. Therefore, this is the path the sun takes on the day with the greatest duration on insolation (most hours of daylight) which is _______________, the first day of ___________in the Northern Hemisphere June 21 summer

PATH D-D’: The sun rises _____________and sets ______________. The noon sun altitude of the sun is about _____, the highest noon altitude for any day of the year. North of east 71o North of west

PATH D-D’: Since the sun is high in the sky at noon, its insolation is most direct strongest. Therefore temperatures will be ________. A stick places in the center of the field (where the observer is located) will cast the _________ noontime shadow for any day of the year. At noon, that shadow will point _________. Higher north shortest

PATH B-B’: Notice that the sun rises due ______ and sets due ______. It’s path divides the field into two equal halves. This is the path of the sun on ____________ (Vernal Equinox) and _________________ (Autumnal Equinox). The path of the sun is shorter than it was on June 21, so the duration of insolation is less. On either equinox, there are ____ hours of day and _____ hours of night for every location on Earth. The noon altitude of the sun is about _________. The insolation is less direct than it was in June. March 21 September 21 EastWest 12 48o

PATH A-A’: It is the _________ path. The sun will be in the sky the fewest hours on this day (the shortest duration of insolation). It is ______________, the first day of _____________ in the Northern Hemisphere. shortest December 21 winter

PATH A-A’: The sun rises _____________ and sets _____________. The noon altitude of the sun is ______, the lowest noon altitude for any day of the year.. 25o South of East South of West

PATH A-A’: Since the sun is low in the sky at noon, its insolation is least direct (weakest). Therefore temperatures will be _________. A stick placed in the center of the field will cast the _________ noontime shadow for any day of the year. Colder longest

PATH C-C’: Since this path is located between the ____and ______, it could be either of two dates. It could be between ________ and ________, probably a day in mid _____. Or it could be between _______________ and ______________, probably a day in Mid _____________. June 21 March 21 D-D’ B-B’ May September 21 August June 21

Using domes for time of day This is especially true when the dome is depicting an Equinox. If it is one of the equinoxes, the sun rises _____ and sets ______. There are ____ hours of day and night. Sunrise would occur at ________ and sunset would occur at ________. Where the sun is highest in the sky would be at _________________ (time of day) East West 12 6:00 am 6:00 pm Noon or 12:00 pm

Fill in times on celestial Dome 6:00 am 6:00 pm 12:00 pm or noon

What time is this? 6:00 am 6:00 pm 12:00 am Answer: Halfway between 12:00 pm and 6:00 pm would be 3:00 pm Polaris What is this person’s latitude? __________ 42o N

What time is this? 6:00 am 6:00 pm 12:00 am Answer: between 12:00 am and 6:00 am, not half way but a bit past half way so the time would be 10:00 am