Follow the Noon Sun: Finding Your Way by Shadows
Long, long ago, before there were maps on phones, sailors and travelers found their way using the SUN. And here is a secret they knew: every single day, the Sun climbs to its very highest point in the sky right around noon. When the Sun is highest, something magical happens on the ground. Your shadow gets the SHORTEST it will be all day. That short shadow is like a little arrow that can help you find directions. Let's see how!
What You'll Learn
- That the Sun is highest in the sky at noon - That your shadow is shortest at noon - How the noon shadow points toward north or south
The Sun's Daily Trip
The Sun rises in the EAST in the morning. It climbs higher and higher. At noon, it is at the TOP of its trip. Then it goes down and sets in the WEST at night. So the Sun makes a big arch across the sky every day, like a rainbow of light. Noon is the tippy-top of that arch.
When the Sun is low in the morning, it shines sideways and makes long shadows. When it climbs high at noon, it shines down from above, so shadows get short and stubby. Try it: watch your shadow change during the day!
Your Shadow Is a Compass
Here is the cool trick. When the Sun is highest at noon, your shadow points almost straight along a north-south line. If you live in most of the United States, your short noon shadow points toward the NORTH. So a stick standing in the ground at noon makes a little shadow-arrow pointing north. No phone needed!
When is your shadow the SHORTEST during the day?
Match the time of day to what the Sun is doing.
Terms
Definitions
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Why can a shadow help you find your way?
Be a Sun Detective
1. In the morning, go outside with a grown-up and a piece of sidewalk chalk. Stand in a sunny spot and have them trace your shadow. Write 'morning' by it. 2. Go back to the SAME spot at lunchtime (around noon) and trace your shadow again. Write 'noon.' 3. Compare! Which shadow is shorter? 4. Draw a picture in your notebook showing your long morning shadow and your short noon shadow. Tell someone what you discovered about the Sun!
Flashcards — click each card to reveal the answer
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