Question: Where on Earth does noon only come once a year, on the December solstice?
Answer: At the South Pole, on the December solstice.
Yes, at the Earth’s South Pole, high noon comes only once a year, on the December summer solstice. Yet, it’s midnight at the other end of the world – at the Earth’s North Pole – where midnight only comes once a year, on the December winter solstice.
Some three months after the December solstice, around the March equinox, the sun will finally set at the South Pole and rise at the North Pole. Some six months after the December solstice, at the June solstice, it’ll be noon at the North Pole and midnight at the South Pole. Nine months after the December solstice, around the September equinox, it’ll be sunrise at the South Pole and sunset at the North Pole.
At the December solstice, the sun is shining at zenith (straight overhead) at the tropic of Capricorn, at which juncture, it is noon at the South Pole and midnight at the North Pole.
If we define “day” by successive noons (successive sunsets, successive midnights or successive sunrises) then a day lasts a year at the North and South Poles. Sunrise comes every year around the spring equinox, noon at the summer solstice, sunset around the autumnal equinox and midnight at the winter solstice.
Enjoying EarthSky? Sign up for our free daily newsletter today!
Bottom line: At the North and South Poles, sunrise comes at the spring equinox, noon at the summer solstice, sunset on the autumn equinox and midnight at the winter solstice.
from EarthSky http://ift.tt/1GEjZsk
Question: Where on Earth does noon only come once a year, on the December solstice?
Answer: At the South Pole, on the December solstice.
Yes, at the Earth’s South Pole, high noon comes only once a year, on the December summer solstice. Yet, it’s midnight at the other end of the world – at the Earth’s North Pole – where midnight only comes once a year, on the December winter solstice.
Some three months after the December solstice, around the March equinox, the sun will finally set at the South Pole and rise at the North Pole. Some six months after the December solstice, at the June solstice, it’ll be noon at the North Pole and midnight at the South Pole. Nine months after the December solstice, around the September equinox, it’ll be sunrise at the South Pole and sunset at the North Pole.
At the December solstice, the sun is shining at zenith (straight overhead) at the tropic of Capricorn, at which juncture, it is noon at the South Pole and midnight at the North Pole.
If we define “day” by successive noons (successive sunsets, successive midnights or successive sunrises) then a day lasts a year at the North and South Poles. Sunrise comes every year around the spring equinox, noon at the summer solstice, sunset around the autumnal equinox and midnight at the winter solstice.
Enjoying EarthSky? Sign up for our free daily newsletter today!
Bottom line: At the North and South Poles, sunrise comes at the spring equinox, noon at the summer solstice, sunset on the autumn equinox and midnight at the winter solstice.
from EarthSky http://ift.tt/1GEjZsk
Aucun commentaire:
Enregistrer un commentaire