The Science Of Sunlight And Shadows

For 4.5 billion years, the Sun has generated energy to power the solar system. Visible light is the most obvious form of that energy. Every day the Earth turns, and the new day starts with sunlight. Here on Earth, the Sun’s light causes day and night, shadows, eclipses, and seasons. As the Earth moves on its journey around the Sun, the people on Earth experience changes in light. You experience those changes all the time. Have you ever noticed that the days are longer in summer, that it‘s colder in winter, or that your shadow practically disappears at noon? These natural phenomena are caused by the movement of the Earth around the Sun. With a little know-how, you can use some simple experiments to track those movements and model them.