Seasonality S K Manocha

•
Horizon – the apparent line at which the earth and the sky seem to meet
•
Sun’s Al tude – the angle between the horizon and the sun (at sunrise and sunset
the al tude is 0 degree, as the sun is at the horizon)
• Subsolar Point – the point where the sun is directly overhead; here the insola on is
maximum (as here the sun’s rays strike the planet exactly perpendicular to its
surface)
• Sun’s Declina on – is the la tude of the sub-solar point. Declina on annually
migrates through 47degrees of la tude between the two tropics
• Seasonality refers to both the seasonal varia ons of the sun’s posi on above the
horizon and the changing daylengths during the year
• Tropic – the term tropic is from the La n word ‘tropicus’ which means ‘turn’ – and
refers to the parallel from where the sun appears to take a turn
• Sols ce – the term sols ce implies – “sun standing s ll”/sun reaching its farthest
posi on in the given hemisphere
_______________________________________________________________________
• Seasons result from varia ons in the following – 1. Sun’s Al tude, 2. Sun’s
Declina on, 3. Daylength
• The above-men oned varia ons are created by the following ve physical factors
that operate together – a. Earth’s Revolu on; b. Earth’s Rota on; c. Earth’s Tilted
Axis; d. Axial Parallelism (the unchanging orienta on of the earth’s axis); e. Earth’s
Spherical Shape
_____________________________________________________________________

• A. EARTH’S REVOLUTION – At an average distance from the sun of 150 million km,
earth completes its annual orbit in 365.24 days at a speed averaging 107280 kmph in
counterclockwise direc on when viewed from above the earth’s north pole.

• B. EARTH’S ROTATION – 1. The earth’s west to east rota on causes the apparent
daily journey of the sun from east to west; 2. Earth’s rota on produces the diurnal
pa ern of day and night; 3. The dividing line between day and night is called the
Circle of Illumina on; 4. Circle of Illumina on bisects the equator, daylength at the
equator is always evenly divided – 12 hours of day and 12 hours of night; 5. All other
parallels experience, uneven daylength through the seasons, except for 2 days a year
(on the equinoxes).

• C. TILT OF THE EARTH’S AXIS – Earth’s rota on axis forms an angle of 66.5 degrees
with the plane of the eclip c (ECLIPTIC PLANE IS THE IMAGINARY PLANE IN WHICH
LIES THE EARTH’S ORBIT AROUND THE SUN), and this lt is called the inclina on of
the axis. It is commonly described as being 23.5 degrees from a line perpendicular to
the plane of the eclip c.

• D. AXIAL PARALLELISM – Throughout our annual journey around the Sun, Earth’s axis
maintains the same alignment rela ve to the plane of the eclip c and to Polaris. In
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 each posi on the earth is revolving with the axis oriented iden cally or parallel to
itself. This condi on is known as axial parallelism.

• E. EARTH’S SPHERICITY – Earth’s curved surface presents a con nually varied angle
to the incoming parallel rays of sun. The la tudinal varia on in the angle of solar rays
results in an uneven global distribu on of insola on.

ANNUAL MARCH OF THE SEASONS

APPROXIMATE DATE NORTHERN HEMISPHERIC SUN’S DECLINATION

NAME
December 21 - 22 Winter Sols ce 23.5 degrees South
March 20 – 21 Spring Equinox/Vernal 0 degree
Equinox
June 20 – 21 Summer Sols ce 23.5 degrees North

September 22 – 23 Autumnal Equinox 0 degree

WINTER SOLSTICE (December 21 – 22)

• The Circle of Illumina on excludes the North Polar region from sunlight and includes
the South Pole region
• From 66.5 degrees north to the 90 degrees north, the sun remains below the horizon
the en re day (24 hours of darkness)
• The la tude 66.5 degrees marks the Arc c Circle
• During the following three month, daylength and solar angles gradually increase in
the northern hemisphere as earth completes one-fourth of its orbit

Spring Equinox/Vernal Equinox (March 20 – 21)

• Circle of Illumina on passes through both the poles so that all loca ons on earth
experience a 12 hours’ day and a 12 hours’ night
• At the north pole, the sun peeks above the horizon for the rst me since the
previous September, and at the South Pole, the sun is se ng

Summer Sols ce (June 20 – 21)

• Circle of Illumina on now includes the North Pole region, everything north of the
Arc c Circle receives 24 hours of daylight – the “midnight sun”
• In contrast, the region from the Antarc c Circle to the South Pole (66.5 degrees
South to 90 degrees South) is in darkness, the en re day

Autumnal Equinox (September 22 – 23)

• Circle of Illumina on again passes through both poles, so that all parts of the globe
receive a 12 hours’ day and 12 hours’ night
• Sun rises at the South Pole, ending the six months of night
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 23.5°
~---:::::- - - --~ orth Pole
4
/·
/

----~.
/

... r Q.
(.)

Plane of
' Y Ecliptic

..J _,.,.r,
/ /

South Pole ---~

.
'' ,',,,
-x·.....,/
 December Solstice
December21

September Equinox
September 22

One-half of Earth is illuminated at any time during the day and during the
year. Here light blue is the illuminated half and dark blue is the unilluminated half. As
noted earlier, the line between the two halves is called the circle of illumination. Note its
position relative to the polar circles on June 21, date of the summer solstice in the
Northern Hemisphere, and December 21, date of the winter solstice in the Northern
Hemisphere.
 Side Views

June 21

North
Pole
:.a,r. ""
·1•c I

CoJ-,Cl ,...
•~
'Or ',,~ ce,.' ' -. . .
'.
Direct Ray
1"ro -.- ,
icot -'
~.Or;c

South
Pole

December 21
North
Pole

Direct Ray

South
Pole

Side View

Earth Sun configuration during the whiter

and summer solstices. At these times, the Sun's noon rays
strike directly at 23.5° of latitude. During the June solstice
(Northern Hemisphere summer), sunlight is concentrated in
the Northern Hemisphere. During the December solstice
(Northern Hemisphere winter), sunlight is concentrated in
the Southern Hemisphere. Direct rays never get any farther
south than 23.5° south latitude or any farther north than
23.5° north latitude. After June 21 they begin striking farther
and farther south of the Tropic of Cancer, and after
December 21 they begin striking farther and farther north of
the Tropic of Capricorn.
 North Pole

, - - i-r~ i_i -cancer-

Sun ""' '
Direct ray
Eq

Antarct Circle
- --
r
South Pole

Side View

Earth-Sun configuration during the spring

and fall equinoxes, which usually occur on March 20 and
September 22, respectively, in the Northern Hemisphere.
On these two days the direct noon rays of the Sun fall on
the equator.