Solar declination

Let's say you have a playground and you like to play there every day. In the morning, the sun rises in the east and in the evening it sets in the west. But, did you notice that during different times of the year, the sun rises and sets in slightly different spots?

This is because of something called "solar declination." It's basically the angle at which the sun is hitting the earth at any given spot.

Imagine holding a flashlight and pointing it directly at the ground. The light hits the ground straight on. Now, imagine tilting the flashlight - the light hits the ground at an angle. That angle is the solar declination.

This angle changes throughout the year because the earth is tilted on its axis as it revolves around the sun. When it's winter in the northern hemisphere, the sun is "lower" in the sky, meaning the angle of the solar declination is lower. Conversely, in the summer, the sun is "higher" in the sky, meaning the angle of the solar declination is higher.

Why does this matter? Well, it affects things like the length of daylight and the intensity of the sun's rays. For example, during summer when the sun is higher in the sky, the days are longer and the sun's rays are more intense. During winter when the sun is lower in the sky, the days are shorter and the sun's rays are less intense.

Scientists study solar declination to understand things like climate patterns and how the earth is changing over time. But for us playing on the playground, it just means that the position of the sun and the length of the day changes throughout the year.