P7 Page 1 Flashcards
0
Q
What is a sidereal day?
A
A sidereal day is the time taken for a star to return to the same position in the sky. It’s about 23 hours and 56 minutes.
1
Q
What directions do the stars appear to cross?
A
They appear to go from east to west.
2
Q
What is a solar day?
A
A solar day is the time taken for the sun to appear at the same position in the sky. It’s 24 hours.
3
Q
Why does a solar day take longer than a sidereal day?
A
The earth orbits the sun in the same direction it spins- so Earth has to spin slightly more than 360° before the sun appears at the same position in the sky.
4
Q
Why does it take 25 hours for the moon to appear in the same position in the sky?
A
This is because the Moon orbits the Earth in the same direction as the Earth is rotating.
