Sun, Solstice and Seasons
What celestial event is Newgrange aligned to? Describe what happens at Newgrange on this day?
-Newgrange’s roof box is aligned to the winter solstice sunrise.
-A beam of sunlight hits the roof-box and illuminates the floor, which will eventually illuminate the main chamber. As sun rises, a light of beam through roof-box
Describe what happens to the Sundagger on the solstices and equinoxes.
At the winter and summer solstice, and rise also at the equinoxes, sunlight shines between three giant rocks at the summit of Fajada Butte, throwing bright “sundaggers” onto an intricate set of spiral patterns carved on the rock behind.
What celestial event is Stonehenge aligned to? Describe what happens at Stonehenge on this day.
Stonehenge is most likely an observatory for following the sun through the seasons. It is a monumental shrine to the sun. Stonehenge’s heel stone is aligned to the summer solstice sunrise. The sun rises just over the heel stone position of the monument on the summer solstice.
Why do archeoastronomers suspect that Stonehenge's Heel Stone had a missing partner stone?
The sun used to hit right next to the Heel Stone and that didn’t make sense. Also it was the only stone that was by itself when all other stones in the Stonehenge were in pairs
What causes the Sun to rise and set every day?
Due to Earth’s 24 hour eastward spin around its polar axis, the sun moves westward across the sky; it rises in the east, reaches its highest point at noon, then sets in the west.
What is the local time for an observer who is directly facing the opposite side of the sky from Sun? local midnight local time when the sun is at its highest point in the sky? local noon
What is the local time when the Sun is seen on the Eastern horizon? local sunrise
What is the local time when the Sun is seen on the Western horizon?
Local sunset
What is the azimuth of the noon Sun in the northern hemisphere? How about the southern hemisphere?
Northern Hemisphere its
-Newgrange’s roof box is aligned to the winter solstice sunrise.
-A beam of sunlight hits the roof-box and illuminates the floor, which will eventually illuminate the main chamber. As sun rises, a light of beam through roof-box
Describe what happens to the Sundagger on the solstices and equinoxes.
At the winter and summer solstice, and rise also at the equinoxes, sunlight shines between three giant rocks at the summit of Fajada Butte, throwing bright “sundaggers” onto an intricate set of spiral patterns carved on the rock behind.
What celestial event is Stonehenge aligned to? Describe what happens at Stonehenge on this day.
Stonehenge is most likely an observatory for following the sun through the seasons. It is a monumental shrine to the sun. Stonehenge’s heel stone is aligned to the summer solstice sunrise. The sun rises just over the heel stone position of the monument on the summer solstice.
Why do archeoastronomers suspect that Stonehenge's Heel Stone had a missing partner stone?
The sun used to hit right next to the Heel Stone and that didn’t make sense. Also it was the only stone that was by itself when all other stones in the Stonehenge were in pairs
What causes the Sun to rise and set every day?
Due to Earth’s 24 hour eastward spin around its polar axis, the sun moves westward across the sky; it rises in the east, reaches its highest point at noon, then sets in the west.
What is the local time for an observer who is directly facing the opposite side of the sky from Sun? local midnight local time when the sun is at its highest point in the sky? local noon
What is the local time when the Sun is seen on the Eastern horizon? local sunrise
What is the local time when the Sun is seen on the Western horizon?
Local sunset
What is the azimuth of the noon Sun in the northern hemisphere? How about the southern hemisphere?
Northern Hemisphere its