The Cardinal Directions

The cardinal directions are defined by the rotation of the Planet Earth. The rotational axis defines two poles, points where the axis intersects the globe. Each of these two point does not move but remains stationary as the planet swings around them. North is the direction towards one of these poles, and South is the direction towards the other. East and West are defined as being perpendicular to the lines running North - South. East takes you towards the rising Sun. West takes you towards the direction in which the Sun sets.

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• North
  
• South
  
• East
  
• West
  

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The Seasons

The four seasons mark out the passage of the Sun across the sky. The rotational axis of the Earth is tilted at a 22.5^o angle to the orbital plane. During the Northern hemisphere winter the axis tilts away from the Sun and during the summer towards the Sun. Tilting towards the Sun means the Sun's rays strike directly concentrating in a tight area. When the axis is tilted away, the rays hit obliquely and cover a stretched area, reducing the intensity.

From the point of view of the Earth, the Sun seems to follow a different path across the sky each day as the seasons advance. In the winter the Sun rises late and far to the south, covers a short path across the sky, never reaching the zenith and then sets soon and also far south. In summer the Sun rises early far to the north, rises high in the sky, covers a long path across the heavens and sets late.

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• Winter
  
• Spring
  
• Summer
  
• Autumn
  

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