Solstice

High school (ages 12+)
Space & Astronomy

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/solstice

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the cause?Earth's axial tilt of approximately 23.5 degrees relative to its orbital plane
2. What is the annual dates?Approximately June 20-22 and December 20-22

Celestial Equator: The projection of Earth's equator onto the celestial sphere, dividing it into northern and southern hemispheres.
Ecliptic: The apparent path of the Sun across the celestial sphere over the course of a year.
Axial Tilt (Obliquity): The angle between an object's rotational axis and its orbital axis, crucial for seasonal variations.
Declination: The angular distance of a celestial object north or south of the celestial equator, analogous to latitude on Earth.