The Path of the Sun, the Ecliptic

Demonstrate the path of the sun across the sky at different times of the year with an engaging science lesson.  Learners use a series of questions and diagrams to examine the movement of the sun and appearance of the sky around...

Starting with questions about the tilt of the Earth and apparent motion of the sun, a worksheet provides instructions on how to figure the paths of the Sun on certain dates. Learners answer three more questions, complete with...

Using a plastic dome  to represent the hemisphere of the sky, your class is able to demonstrate the path of the sun at different points of the day and year.  They use a protractor to record movement and answer questions about...

First, your earth science pupils determine what season is depicted in a diagram of the tilted Earth as it receives radiation from the sun. They answer multiple choice questions about occurrences at different points on Earth in the...

Evidence shows the Vikings likely navigated by using a simple sundial to find their course. Videos, a short story, and discussion help bring this time period to life as they study European history with a hands-on experiment. Scholars...

There's something to look forward to in 2021 or 2022! Although the actual event occurred almost 2,000 years ago, the appearance of a new star will become evident from Earth in a few short years. The video instructor from the solar...

Why is there more daylight in June than in December if you live above the equator? How does the angle of sunlight shift throughout the year? Answer these questions and more with an interactive article about the sun, its path through the...

The Sun's analemma, or its apparent figure-eight pattern as it moves across the sky, is the topic of a short video that explains the science behind this trajectory.

Take a look at the cyclical phenomena at work in the universe. Learn about the subtle changes in the sky that take place over time as the Earth circles the sun, following along the ecliptic. Learn how the tilt of the Earth's axis has a...

Suppose you placed a camera at a fixed position, took a picture of the sky at the same time every day for an entire year, and overlaid all of the photos on top of each other. What would the sun look like in that combined image? A...