AST1110-lab4

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Astronomy

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Feb 20, 2024

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AST 1110: Planetary Astronomy Spring 2024 Lab 4 (30 points) Name: Jenna McCarthy Seasonal Changes and Moon Phases Learning Goals Explain how Earth’s motion around the Sun causes seasonal changes Describe how seasonal changes vary depending on your location on Earth Describe how the Moon’s motion around Earth causes the Moon’s phase to change This lab focuses on material from Chapter 4. Use the chapter and Week 4 as a reference but remember to answer all questions in your own words. Part 1: Seasonal Changes Check out this animation from PBS about seasonal changes on Earth. 1. Explain in your own words why Earth has seasonal changes. Earth has seasonal changes due to the rotation of Earth on its axis. 2. Describe how the sun’s position on the sky changes between December and June for observers in the northern hemisphere. As we move from December to June, the sun seems to rise higher in the sky, and its path appears longer. Conversely, as we move from June to December, the sun seems to lower in the sky, and its path appears shorter. 3. Explain why the idea that we have summer because Earth is closer to the Sun in its orbit is not correct. This is because the axial tilt of Earth affects the duration and intensity of sunlight that different parts of our planet receive throughout the year. The idea that we have summer because Earth is closer to the Sun in its orbit is not correct due to the way Earth's axial tilt affects the intensity and duration of sunlight that different parts of the Earth receive at different times of the year. 4. The image below shows a fish-eye view of the Sun’s path across the sky on three different days of the year. a. Label which path corresponds to summer solstice. b. Label which path corresponds to winter solstice. c. Label which path corresponds to vernal equinox.
The image below shows a view looking toward east. The position of sunrise on three different days of the year is shown, as seen from a single location. 5. a. When is the Sun rising farthest north of east? __ Summer Solstice ____ b. When is the Sun rising farthest south of east? __ Winter Solstice __ Check out this example sun graph for Boston, MA. The example does not correspond to the image below. Use it to visualize what’s going on but answer all questions based on the image below. 2
6. Based on the image above, during what months of the year is the length of day increasing? From December to June. 7. Based on the image above, during what months of the year is the length of day decreasing? From June to December. 8. Is the image above a location in Earth’s northern hemisphere or Earth’s southern hemisphere? Explain how you can tell. Northern hemisphere because the longest day of the year occurs in June, and the shortest day of the year occurs in December. 3
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