Earth - Sun relationships

Abstract:

• A VPython model showing an idealized Earth rotating around the Sun to illustrate the how Earth-Sun relationships result in seasons seasons. Two spheres on the surface of the Earth change colors with time of day to show day lenght.

Software:

1.  File: orbit_earth_sun16.py
2. Installation instructons for users new to VPython: Here

Multimedia: Animations etc.

	Title: Day length Animated gif Showing different day lengths at different latitudes at the time of the Northern Hemisphere's Summer solstice
Student productions (audio and visual)
	Title: Seasons Date: Fall 2004. by: Megan Ariganello Quicktime .mov Large (124 Mb) Small (41 Mb)

Controls:

• Control panel instructions

• Play with the buttons and sliders in the control window to see what they do.

• Change the Earth's rotation rate and orbital rate
• Sliders control the location of the two spheres on the surface of the Earth.
• The view can be centered on the Earth or on the Sun and can be oriented parallel or perpendicular to the plane of the ecliptic.
• Arrows can be placed to show the direction of the sun from the two locations on the planet surface.
• You can also make duplicate copies of the planet with the freeze button.

Notes:

1. The Earth's orbit around the sun is circular in the model not elliptical.