Tracking the Sun

People often say that the Sun rises in the east and sets in the west. We tend to not think about the movements of the Sun much. We know the Sun is high in the sky around noon, but does the Sun always follow the same path across the sky?

Warning! Never Look Directly at the Sun, it will cause severe damage to your eyes (and can cause blindness!)

What You Will Need

small mirror

small post-it notes or masking tape

clock

Procedure

1 - Locate a window which faces south, one which the Sun shines in around noon.

2 - Place the mirror on the windowsill and position it so that the Sun reflects onto one of the walls of the room.

3 - At exactly 12:00 Noon, place a post-it note or small loop of tape in the center of the reflection the Sun makes on the wall. If you are using post-it notes, you may want to mark the date and time on the note.

4 - Every ten minutes for the next hour, place a note or loop of tape in the center of the reflection.

5 - Leave the mirror undisturbed overnight. At noon the next day, mark the center of the sun's reflection.

6 - For the next two weeks (or more if you like,) mark the center of the Sun's reflection on the wall at exactly noon each day.

Thoughts to Ponder

What did you notice about the first marks which were five minutes apart? How were these different from the marks which were made at noon each day? What can you infer about the Sun's daily path from the noon marks?

Explanation