Earth's movements

8th January 2011 Paul Chris Jones

The Earth has 2 movements.

1) It spins.

The%20red%20line%20is%20called%20the%20'axis%20of%20rotation'.%20It's%20where%20the%20Earth%20doesn't%20travel%20anywhere,%20it%20just%20spins%20on%20the%20spot.

The%20rotation%20axis%20crosses%20the%20magnetic%20North%20and%20South%20poles,%20but%20I%20don't%20know%20why%20yet.

Earth's%20rotation%20causes%20day%20and%20night

2)%20The%20rotation%20axis%20is%20tilted.

By%2023%20degrees,%20in%20fact.%20This%20tilt%20never%20changes.%20As%20the%20Earth%20rotates%20around%20the%20Sun,%20it%20means%20different%20latitudes%20receive%20more%20sun%20than%20other%20latitudes.

There%20is%20a%20good%20animation%20of%20the%20effect%20

In the image, the Sun's rays are concentrated on the northern hemisphere, due to the tilt of the rotation axis. Even as the Earth spins, the solar concentration is always on the Northern hemisphere. Hence, it is Summer in the northern hemisphere, and Winter in the Southern hemisphere.

It is Winter in the northern hemisphere and Summer in the southern hemisphere when the Earth is on the other side of the Sun. Imagine the image above but with the Sun shining from the opposide side.

Earth's movements

Leave a comment