CC 3 Cycles in the Sky

Why do stars appear to rise and set each night?

• The stars are moving around the Earth.

• The Earth is rotating on its axis.

• The Earth is orbiting the Sun.

• The Moon's gravity pulls the stars.

What causes the apparent change in the positions of distant stars and the Sun in the sky over the course of a year?

• The stars are slowly moving away from Earth.

• The Earth's rotation speed changes throughout the year.

• The Earth's orbit around the Sun changes our viewpoint.

• The Sun's gravitational pull shifts the stars.

What is the primary reason for the Earth experiencing different seasons throughout the year?

• The Earth's varying distance from the Sun as it orbits.

• The tilt of the Earth's rotational axis relative to its orbital plane.

• Fluctuations in the Sun's energy output.

• The changing magnetic field of the Earth.

What phenomenon describes the slow, conical wobble of Earth's rotational axis over thousands of years?

• Revolution

• Rotation

• Precession

• Nutation

Which event marks the beginning of summer in the Northern Hemisphere?

• Summer solstice

• Vernal equinox

• Winter solstice

• Autumnal equinox