1. Seasons
The Earth is divided into two hemispheres, Northern and Southern. The
Earth rotates/ spins on its axis. The Earth is tilted at a 23.5 degree
angle. Due to the tilt of the Earth on its axis, the rays of sunlight
hits the Earth at different angles. If one of the hemispheres is tilted
toward the sun it will be Summer time, because it is getting DIRECT
sunlight. For the hemisphere tilted away from the sun, it is winter time
because it is getting INDIRECT sunlight. It takes the Earth 365.25 days
to REVOLVE around the sun. 0.25 is the reason we need to have leap
years.
2. Moon Phases
It is important to note that we see phases of the moon because we are
looking at the Moon from the Earth. The Moon is REFLECTING light from
the sunlight. We always see the same side of the moon. When the moon is
waxing it is growing light on the RIGHT side of the moon. When the moon
is waning it is growing light on the LEFT side of the moon. It takes the
moon 29.5 days to orbit around the Earth.
3. Eclipses
During a Solar Eclipse the sunlight is being blocked by the moon. The
planets are in a straight line, Sun, Moon and then Earth. The phase of
the moon that Solar Eclipses happen in is during a New moon. During a
Lunar Eclipse, the moon is in the Earths shadow so the Moon is being
blocked. The phase of the moon that a Lunar Eclipse can happen in is
during a Full Moon.
4. Tides
We experience tides due to the Moons gravitational pull on the Earth.
Due to the moons location we experience more of a pull from the Moon
than the Sun.
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