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As the Earth spins, the angle at which the Sun’s rays strike the Earth changes
During the day, we perceive the Earth’s spin as the Sun’s apparent movement across the sky. As this occurs, the shadows cast by objects on Earth change in length because the angle at which the Sun’s rays hit the object changes.
This effect becomes more pronounced in the different seasons, due to the tilt of the Earth’s axis relative to the Sun. Noon shadows in winter – when the viewer’s part of the Earth’s surface is tilted furthest away from the Sun – are longer than noon shadows in summer.
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IMAGE: The University of Waikato Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato
Rights: The University of Waikato Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato
Published: 5 July 2019Size: 320.85 KB
