Sun and Moon, Clocks and Calendars

1. Sun and Moon, Clocks and Calendars Dr Martin Hendry University of Glasgow

3. North North-West North-East West East South-West South-East South

4. If we follow the stars all night, they seem to follow circles on the sky, from East to West This is because the Earth is spinning The Pole Star doesn’t move, because it’s above the North Pole of the Earth

5. To Pole Star If we follow the stars all night, they seem to follow circles on the sky, from East to West This is because the Earth is spinning The Pole Star doesn’t move, because it’s above the North Pole of the Earth

6. If we follow the stars all night, they seem to follow circles on the sky, from East to West This is because the Earth is spinning The Pole Star doesn’t move, because it’s above the North Pole of the Earth To Pole Star

7. Finding the Pole Star To find the Pole Star, first find the Plough, part of the Great Bear.

8. Finding the Pole Star To find the Pole Star, first find the Plough, part of the Great Bear. The two end stars are the ‘Pointers’, and point towards the Pole Star, (which is in the Little Bear). Pole Star Pointers Plough

9. We can use a sundial to tell the time Each day the Sun rises in the East and sets in the West

25. Until about 500 years ago, astronomers thought that the Sun, Moon and planets go around the Earth We now know that the Earth, and all the other planets, go round the Sun

30. During the year, the Sun appears to move through the signs of the ZODIAC

31. Zodiac Constellations

32. The Seasons We have Seasons because the Earth is tilted as it orbits around the Sun

33. March 21st Spring in the Northern Hemisphere, Autumn in the Southern Hemisphere

34. June 21st Summer in the Northern Hemisphere, WInter in the Southern Hemisphere

35. September 21st Autumn in the Northern Hemisphere, Spring in the Southern Hemisphere

36. December 21st Winter in the Northern Hemisphere, Summer in the Southern Hemisphere

39. Phases of the Moon The Moon orbits the Earth once per month. It doesn’t shine itself, but reflects light from the Sun. This is why the Moon shows Phases

40. Phases of the Moon: New Moon, to First Quarter

41. Phases of the Moon: First Quarter, to Full Moon

42. Phases of the Moon: Full Moon, to Third Quarter

43. Phases of the Moon: Third Quarter, to New Moon

44. Orbit of the Moon The gravity of the Earth and the Sun make the Moon’s orbit ‘wobble’ as it goes around the Earth.

47. Solar Eclipses Total Eclipse Zone only about 20km across, but sweeps over many countries as the Earth spins

49. May 7th 2003: Transit of Mercury