Getting to Know: Earths Sky in Day and Night

Do you want to share something with ancient people who

lived thousands of years ago? Just go look into the night
sky. The stars that you see today are the same stars they
gazed at thousands of years ago.
As the ancient people looked at the stars, they made
observations. What have you observed about the stars?
Have you seen how they appear to move across the sky?
Have you seen some groups of stars that look like pictures
in the sky? Ancient people saw these things too. They saw
Ancient stargazers didnt have
that the stars seem to move. They also saw patterns made by
telescopes
to help them view the
groups of stars. These patterns we now call constellations.
night sky. Telescopes help make
Ancient people noticed that constellations seemed to move
distant things appear closer. Today,
with the seasons. They saw some constellations in winter.
we have very powerful telescopes that
They saw others in summer. Do you know why this happens?
help us view the universe.
Do you think its because the stars move around the Earth?
Not at all, the stars remain fixed in place. Its the Earth that
moves. As Earth rotates and revolves, we see different stars and constellations in the sky.

How does the change in the direction and length of a shadow provide evidence
for Earths rotation?
Every 24 hours we experience night and day. Daytime light
comes from the Sun. Nighttime darkness results from your
part of Earth facing away from the Sun. Does the Sun move
around Earth to make night and day? No it doesnt. Night
and day result from Earth rotating, or spinning, on its axis.
The axis is an imaginary line running through Earth from
north to south.
Throughout the day, the Sun appears to move across the
sky. It rises in the east. Then it travels west, rising higher in
the sky. At the end of each day, the Sun sets in the west.
However, what appears to be the sun moving across the sky
is actually a result of Earths rotating on its axis.

Concept: Earths Sky in Day and Night

Shadows are longer at sunset and

sunrise.

Discovery Communications, Inc.

Light from the Sun creates shadows. Shadows are darkened areas that occur when an object
blocks light. As the Sun changes position in the sky, the length and position of shadows
change.

How does the apparent motion of the stars at night provide evidence of Earths
rotation?
Just as the Sun appears to move across the daytime sky, the stars appear to move across the
nighttime sky. They seem to move from east to
west, just like our star, the Sun. The stars do not
seem to change position relative to each other. In
fact, they appear to move in unison, as one body of
stars. This motion is not real. The stars appear to
move due to Earths rotation.
You may think of the night sky as a theater. The
theater remains in place. However, our view of the
theater changes as Earth rotates. As Earth spins,
anything above us seems to move in the opposite
direction. Earth rotates toward the east. The stars
appear to move toward the west.
A model of this is called a celestial sphere. This is
an imaginary sphere surrounding Earth to which the
stars are attached. You can see how Earth rotates.
This gives people on Earth different views of the
night sky.

A celestial sphere can help you see

how our view of the sky changes as
Earth rotates and the stars remain in
place.

Misconception: Because we cant perceive Earths movement, it must stay still.

Reality Although we cant feel Earth move, it is in constant motion as it rotates
on its axis while revolving around the Sun. Evidence for this is in the apparent
motion the Sun and stars.

Concept: Earths Sky in Day and Night

Discovery Communications, LLC