GLE: 6.2.A.a: Relate the apparent east-to-west changes in the positions of the Sun, other
stars, and planets in the sky over the course of a day to Earth’s position.
Practice Assessment and Scoring Guide:
Question: Explain the changes in the Sun’s, stars and planets positions in the sky over the
course of a day.
Earth rotates and revolves counterclockwise or west to east.
(1 point)
The Sun has an apparent motion of rising in the east and setting in the west. It
appears to be moving but it is not. The Earth’s rotation causes this apparent motion.
(1 point)
GLE: 6.2A.a
Show a relationship between the apparent east-to-west changes in the positions of the Sun, other
stars, and planets in the sky over the course of a day to Earth’s counterclockwise rotation about
its axis. What does this statement mean?
Are the Sun, other stars, and planets rotating clockwise or counterclockwise? Think about the
activity we did with the shadows. The shadows move in the same direction as the earth
……..what direction is that? Counterclockwise.
Further Reading:
Relate the apparent changes in the positions of the
a. Sun, Stars and planets
b. Shadows on Earth and
c. Earth
d. Moon
in the sky over the course of a day to the Earth’s rotations about its axis. (6.2.A.a)
a.
b.
c.
d.
Sun, Stars and planets-….Rise in the East and sets in the west = clockwise
Shadows on Earth….Rise in the West and Set in the east = counter-clockwise.
Earth rotates counterclockwise or from west to east.
The moon is the closest celestial body to our Earth
Relate the apparent changes in the positions of the Sun, other stars, and planets in the sky over
the course of a day to Earth’s rotation about its axis.
Sun, Stars and planets
a. Rotates Counter-Clockwise
Shadows on Earth
b. Move in a West to East direction
Earth
c. Rises in the East and Sets in the West
GLE: 6.2.A.b: Describe the pattern that can be
observed in the changes in number of hours of visible
sunlight, and the time and location of sunrise and
sunset, throughout the year.
Practice Assessment and Scoring Guide
Which season has more sunlight? Darken the circle
O Winter
Summer- This is the correct answer
Which season has longer days? Summer has longer
days.
Which season has shorter days? Winter has shorter
days.
GLE 6.2.A.c Describe how, in the Northern
Hemisphere, the Sun appears lower in the sky during
the winter and higher in the sky during the summer.
So, the more direct the Sun is hitting the Earth
(900), the more intense the sunlight and therefore the
more heat there is. Also, notice that the curve for
summer is larger, therefore there is more sunlight and
a longer day.
GLE: 6.2.A.d: Describe where the Sun rises in winter
and where the Sun rises in the summer. Also, explain
the length of day for summer and winter.
Explain where the Sun rises and sets in the winter
and summer.
Summer Sun Rise: North-East
Summer Sun Set: North-West
The length of day is longer.
Winter Sun Rise: South-East
Winter Sun Set:
South-West
The length of day is shorter.
See:
http://astrosun2.astro.cornell.edu/academics/courses/
/astro201/sun_ithaca.htm
GLE: 6.2.A.a: Relate the apparent east-to-west changes in the positions of the Sun, other stars, and
planets in the sky over the course of a day to Earth’s counterclockwise rotation about its axis.
GLE: 6.2.A.b: Describe the pattern that can be observed in the changes in number of hours of visible
sunlight, and the time and location of sunrise and sunset, throughout the year
GLE 6.2.A. d Describe how, in winter, the Sun appears to rise in the Southeast and set in the Southwest,
accounting for a relatively short day length, and, in summer, the Sun appears to rise in the Northeast and
set in the Northwest, accounting for a relatively long day length.
Source: http://users.skynet.be/lotus/column/images/celest3.gif
GLE: 6.2.A.d
Practice Test with Scoring Guide
This is the position
directly overhead.
Source: http://www.goatstar.org/SolsticeDiagram.jpg
1. If this is a picture of the Sun in the Northern Hemisphere, describe what happens to
the Sun’s height in the different seasons. Explain using the angle of separation.
GLE: 6.2.A.c

In the winter, the Sun appears to rise in the south-east and sets in the south-west, accounting for a relatively short day length.
In the summer the Sun appears to rise in the north-east and sets in the north-west, accounting for a relatively long day length.
2. Is this statement true or false? Fill in the circle:
In the Northern Hemisphere, the Sun appears lower in the sky during the summer and
higher in the sky during the winter. GLE: 6.2.A.c
O True
O False
Because of Earth’s counterclockwise rotation, the Sun has an apparent clockwise
motion across the sky from east to west.
The moon revolves counterclockwise: however, the Moon has an apparent clockwise
motion across the sky from east to west.