1. Mrs. Gordon Earth Science Wednesday, April 26, 2017
Notes 15 – The Seasons
Mrs. Gordon
Earth Science
Wednesday, April 26, 2017

2. HA HA Funny!
Q: What did the pig say at the beach on a hot summer's day?
A: Oh man, I'm bacon!

3. 1. Sunrise / Sunset The Sun ‘rises’ in the….. EAST
The Sun ‘sets’ in the…..
WEST
This apparent motion of the Sun is due to Earth rotating on its axis.

4. 2. Why does Earth have seasons?
Earth has seasons because the planet has a TILT to it axis (23.5°)
Because of this TILT the Northern and Southern Hemispheres of our planet receive different amounts of solar energy as we revolve around the Sun.
Earth’s Rotation = 1 DAY or 24 hours
Earth’s Revolution = 1 YEAR days
(One year = one full orbit around the Sun)

5. 3. Special days of the Year
Note: All of the following are referencing the Northern Hemisphere.
Summer Solstice ~ June 21st, longest day / shortest night (most direct sunlight of the year)
Autumnal Equinox – September 21st, 12 hours of day / 12 hours of night (sunlight hits the equator directly)
Winter Solstice – December 21st, shortest day / longest night (most indirect sunlight of the year)
Vernal Equinox – March 21st, 12 hours of day / 12 hours of night (sunlight hits the equator directly)

6. Add the seasons diagram to your notebook:
Shade in the nighttime side of Earth.
Label SUN.
Label the following positions/dates for the Northern Hemisphere:
June 21 - Summer solstice
September 21 - Autumnal equinox
December 21 - Winter solstice
March 21 - Vernal equinox