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Earth orbit (yellow) compared to a circle (gray) Earth orbits the Sun at an average distance of 149.60 million km (92.96 million mi), or 8.317 light-minutes, [1] in a counterclockwise direction as viewed from above the Northern Hemisphere. One complete orbit takes 365.256 days (1 sidereal year), during which time Earth has traveled 940 million ...
At the time of the summer or winter solstices, the Sun is 23.44° degrees above or below the horizon, respectively, irrespective of time of day. Whilst the Sun is up (during summer months) it will circle around the whole sky (clockwise from the North Pole and counter-clockwise from the South Pole), appearing to stay at the same angle from the ...
Equinox. A solar equinox is a moment in time when the Sun crosses the Earth's equator, which is to say, appears directly above the equator, rather than north or south of the equator. On the day of the equinox, the Sun appears to rise "due east" and set "due west". This occurs twice each year, around 20 March and 23 September.
Subsolar point. The subsolar point on a planet is the point at which its Sun is perceived to be directly overhead (at the zenith); [1] that is, where the Sun's rays strike the planet exactly perpendicular to its surface. It can also mean the point closest to the Sun on an astronomical object, even though the Sun might not be visible.
Earth reached its closest point to the sun Tuesday at 1:52 a.m. EST, a configuration known as perihelion. ... and aphelion occurs during summer, Earth's elliptical orbit around the sun does not ...
The ecliptic or ecliptic plane is the orbital plane of Earth around the Sun. [1][2][a] From the perspective of an observer on Earth, the Sun's movement around the celestial sphere over the course of a year traces out a path along the ecliptic against the background of stars. [3] The ecliptic is an important reference plane and is the basis of ...
17:37. 21. 14:14. A solstice is the time when the Sun reaches its most northerly or southerly excursion relative to the celestial equator on the celestial sphere. Two solstices occur annually, around 20-22 June and 20-22 December. In many countries, the seasons of the year are defined by reference to the solstices and the equinoxes.
The September equinox (or southward equinox) is the moment when the Sun appears to cross the celestial equator, heading southward. Because of differences between the calendar year and the tropical year, the September equinox may occur from September 21 to 24. At the equinox, the Sun as viewed from the equator rises due east and sets due west.