Does the Sun really move?

The idea

The Sun and the Moon only appear to move because we view them from the rotating Earth: as it turns from West to East, they appear to rise in the East, cross the sky and set in the West.

East to West

Every day the Sun seems to rise in one direction, cross the sky and set in the opposite direction.

Why does the Sun seem to move across the sky?

• The Sun really goes round us every day
• We are on a turning Earth
• Clouds push it across

Watch from the Earth

The top picture shows the Earth from above. The bottom picture is the sky seen by a person on it. Slide the time, then watch the Moon too.

A trick of turning

When you go round on a merry-go-round, the people on the ground seem to move. In the same way, the turning Earth makes the Sun and Moon seem to move.

The Sun and the Moon only appear to move because we view them from the rotating Earth: as it turns from West to East, they appear to rise in the East, cross the sky and set in the West.

Notes

The Sun and the Moon only appear to move because we view them from the rotating Earth: as it turns from West to East, they appear to rise in the East, cross the sky and set in the West.

Check yourself

In which direction does the Sun appear to rise?

The Sun appears to move across the sky because …

The Moon, like the Sun, appears to …

On a merry-go-round, the people on the ground seem to go round. This is like …

• West. The Sun appears to set in the West.
• North. The Sun appears to rise in the East, not in the North.
• East — correct. Yes! The Sun appears to rise in the East.
• the Earth rotates from West to East — correct. Yes! We look at the Sun from a turning Earth.
• the Sun goes round the Earth in a day. It looks that way, but it is the Earth that turns.
• the Earth stands still. The Earth is rotating all the time.
• rise in the West and set in the East. The Moon appears to rise in the East and set in the West, like the Sun.
• rise in the East and set in the West — correct. Yes! The turning Earth makes both seem to move this way.
• stay at one spot all night. The Moon seems to cross the sky because the Earth turns under it.
• the Earth standing still. The merry-go-round turns and so does the Earth.
• the Sun really moving round the Earth. On the merry-go-round it is you who turn. In the same way it is the Earth that turns.
• the Sun seeming to move because we turn with the Earth — correct. Yes! Our own turning makes things outside seem to move.