658 – 665 Section 1

* Definition: Study of the moon, stars and space * Why would it be beneficial to study Astronomy? * Develop a calendar * Agriculture * Navigation

* Two Major ways Earth moves through space * Rotation * Revolution

* Spinning of Earth upon its Axis * Axis is line from North Pole to South pole * Earth rotates Eastward * Rotation causes 2 things: ? * Rotation takes 24 hours = 1 Day

* Motion of Earth around Sun * Earths path known as an ORBIT * Orbit is Elliptical * One complete revolution makes a ?

* We have four seasons: Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall * The tropics and polar regions don’t. Why? * Why is it warmer at the tropics than the poles?

* Why do we have seasons? * Earth is tilted at 23.5 degrees * We have seasons due to Earths tilt * Not based upon distance from sun. * Perihelion = Winter Solstice December 21 * Earth’s closest distance to the sun million Km * Aphelion = Summer Solstice June 21 * Earth’s farthest distance from sun million Km

* Solstice – Day of the year when the sun is at the farthest point north or south of the equator * 2 x’s a year * Longest day and shortest day * Equinox = equal sun coverage, equal day and night. * 2 x’s a year * March 20 (spring) and September 22 (Fall/Autumn)