solstice and equinox web quests for elementary

If you lived precisely at the North Pole, you would experience six months of daylight during the summer. For example, people living in Los Angeles will experience less sunlight on the summer solstice than people in Point Barrow, Alaska, the northernmost point in the United States. The number of hours of daylight you experience on the solstice depends on how far north or south of the equator you live. The term comes from the Latin words sol, meaning “sun,” and sistere, translated as “to stand still.” How Long Does the Daylight Last on the Solstice? Scientists call the two days of the year when the sun shines longest or shortest a “solstice.” The longest day of the year is called the summer solstice, and the day with the longest period of darkness is called the winter solstice. The shortest day in the Northern Hemisphere occurs six months later, between December 20 and 22, North America’s official start of winter and the longest day of the year in the Southern Hemisphere. Most people consider that day the first day of summer. The exact time and date vary from year to year, but for North America, that moment occurs between June 20 and 22, corresponding to the Southern Hemisphere’s shortest day. Autumn in the north is spring in the south and vice versa.Įach hemisphere’s longest day of the year is when its pole faces the sun most directly.

Meanwhile, people who live in the Southern Hemisphere experience the opposite of what’s happening in the Northern Hemisphere, with their days short. So, long summer days occur in North America because the Earth’s tilt slowly exposes the Northern Hemisphere to the sun for a long time each day. Meanwhile, at the poles, depending on the time of year, the sun can stay up for an entire six months! Between the poles and the equator, as Earth travels its orbital path, the days get longer or shorter.

Days along the equator in some parts of countries like Kenya, Indonesia, and Ecuador (Spanish for equator) are always 12 hours long. The seasons affect the length of the day, too-especially toward the poles. The planet’s axis, the imaginary line connecting the North and South Poles through the center of the Earth, is tilted by 23.5°, which brings North America closer to the sun for its summer while, at the same time, distancing the Southern Hemisphere and making it cooler for winter.

As it completes its yearly circuit, different areas of the world cycle through the seasons depending on how close they are to the sun-the closer you are, the warmer the weather. The answer starts with a revolution-Earth, revolving around the sun. So when they ask why they have to go to sleep while it’s light out, why not explain the summer solstice and why the days get shorter and longer? We suggest you start with a question for them: “What’s the longest day of the year, and why?” Longest and Shortest Days of the Year So when spring turns to summer and the days become longer, you might find it takes a little more effort to convince your young night owl that it’s time for bed, even though the sun is still up. It’s no secret that a lot of kids love to stay up late.

Solstice and equinox web quests for elementary