Path of the sun and seasons

Discussion Topic 3: Path of the Sun and Seasons

You need to address Parts A and B in your original post and include information detailed below in your responses.

Part A (Path of the Sun Description): Imagine you are viewing the Sun from Joliet (or from anywhere in the continental US). Pick one date from the holidays listed below, and mention the date in your post. Describe the Sun’s path on your chosen date, that is, in which direction will the Sun rise, set and where is the Sun in the sky in between sunrise and sunset. (Please don’t look directly at the Sun with the naked eye, as this could cause permanent eye damage.)

Include all references in your original post including our textbook. If you did not use references, please state that.

Hypothetical sample description – note that the Sun never travels the path described here, but you are expected to describe the Sun’s path in similar detail to what is in here: I chose the 30th of February to describe the Sun’s path. I used the information on how the Sun travels in the sky on different days of the year that is given in Section 22.22 of the textbook to infer the Sun’s path on 30th February. On the 30th of February, the Sun will rise north of east. It will get higher in the sky while moving slowly closer to north. It will keep getting higher while moving to north of west. It will be highest in the western sky at 9am. Then it will rapidly get closer to the horizon while moving in the southwestern sky. The Sun will set due south on 30th February.

Monday, January 16, 2023 (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day)

Monday, February 20, 2023 (Presidents’ Day)

Monday, May 29, 2023 (Memorial Day)

Tuesday, July 4, 2023 (Independence Day)

Monday, September 4, 2023 (Labor Day)

Saturday, November 11, 2023 (Veterans Day)

Thursday, November 23, 2023 (Thanksgiving Day)

Monday, December 25, 2023 (Christmas Day)

Part B (Seasons):

Imagine that you are talking to a friend who insists that the seasons are caused by a varying Earth-Sun distance over the course of a year. What other fact does your friend likely know that completely contradicts this view of how the seasons are caused? In addition to presenting the other fact in your original post, please explain how seasons on Earth are caused. (Reminder – the variation in Earth-Sun distance is not the cause of Earth’s seasons.)

What must be included in your responses:

You must explain whether the Sun at noon will be higher or lower in the sky two weeks after the date given for Part A in one of the posts you respond to. You must also explain whether the shadow of a flagpole at noon will be longer or shorter or the stay the same length two weeks after the date given in the post you choose to respond to.

You must respond to two posts, but you have to provide the Sun’s noon position and the corresponding shadow length in just one of your responses.

You can add other meaningful comments in your responses.

Instructions:

You must respond to Parts A and B! You must post your original response first, only then will you be able to view and respond to other students’ posts. Your original post must be submitted by 10pm, Thursday, February 16.
If you realize that you need to modify your original post, then reply to it with the modifications as students cannot edit posts. Your entire original post (first submission with modifications) is considered late if modifications are submitted more than 15 minutes after submitting the initial part of the original post.

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