Astronomy Project Ideas About Shadows
Facts about Sun Shadows
Because of the rotation of the Earth, the Sun appears to move across the sky from east to west. In the morning when the Sun rises above the eastern horizon, it is at a low altitude (height above the horizon), shadows are long.
Sunrise is when the Sun rises above the eastern horizon.
At sunrise, the Sun is at its lowest altitude (angular height above the horizon).
The Sun continues to rise in the sky until it reaches its highest altitude, which by Sun time is noon.
After noon, the Sun moves toward the western horizon.
In the Northern Hemisphere (region north of the equator), the Sun moves across the southern sky.
In the Southern (region south of the equator), the Sun moves across the northern sky.
Sunset is when the Sun sinks below the western horizon.
| Astronomy Science Project Ideas About Sun Shadows | |||
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| Facts | What Do You Want to Test? | ||
| The darkest shadows form when an opaque object blocks a light source.
opaque: Doesn’t allow light to pass through. opacity: The degree to which light passes through an oblect. opaque-most opacity |
1. How does the size of an opaque object affect the size of the shadow formed?
2. How does the shape of an opaque object affect the shape of the shadow formed? 3. How does the objects distance from the light affect the size of the shadow? 4. How does the opacity of an object affect its ability to cast a shadow?
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| Sun shadows are longest at sunrise and at sunset. | 1. How does the size of the object casting the shadow affect the shadow’s length at sunrise or sunset?
2. How does the shape of the object casting the shadow affect the shadow’s length at sunrise or sunset? |
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| Shadows are shortest at noon. | 1.How does the size of the object casting the shadow affect the shadow’s length at noon?2. How does the shape of the object casting the shadow affect the shadow’s length at noon?
3. How does the latitude of the observer affect the shadow’s length at noon? 4. How does the latitude of the observer affect the shadow’s direction at noon? |
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| Sun shadows point westward at sunrise. | Does the latitude of the observer affect the direction of Sun shadows at sunrise? | ||
| Sun shadows point eastward at sunset. | Does the latitude of the observer affect the direction of Sun shadows at sunset? | ||
| Using a sundial, the length and direction of Sun shadows can be used to tell time. | How is time determined on a sundial?Does the latitude of the observer affect the accuracy of a sundial? | ||