Astronomy 2

comets

chunks of rock and ice that orbit the Sun

meteor

streak of light seen when a space rock enters earth's atmosphere and starts burning up

asteroid

rocky/metallic object orbiting the Sun between mars and jupiter

altitude of polaris

equals your latitude in the northern hemisphere.

angle of polaris

aligned with earth's axis

23.5 degrees

tilt of earth's axis

15 degrees/hour

rate earth rotates at

sunrise

east

sunset

west

noon sun

highest the sun will be in a day

summer

noon sun highest during

winter

noon sun lowest during

december 21

sunrise southeast, sunset southwest

sep 23/march 21

sunrise east, sunset west

june 21

sunrise northeast, sunset northwest

equinox

12 hours of daylight

north pole

24hrs of daylight on june 21

south pole

24hrs of daylight on dec 21

insolation

exposure to the sun's rays

summer

longer daylight hrs

winter

shorter daylight hrs

summer

high insolation angle

winter

low insolation angle

direct rays

sun is located directly above your head

sunrise and sunset

shadows are longest during

solar noon

shortest shadow facing north

opposite

shadows are ______ of the light source

NYS latitude

42 degrees

zenith

the point directly overhead

equator latitude

0 degrees

north pole latitude

90 degrees north

south pole latitude

90 degrees south

march 21/sep 23

receives direct rays at 0 degrees latitude

june 21/december 21

receives direct rays at 23.5 degrees latitude

coriolis effect