Stars change through the year

The idea

Because the Earth revolves around the Sun, the stars seen in the night sky after sunset gradually change over the year as we look in different directions.

The night sky

Look at the sky just after sunset in January. Look again in July.

Will you see the same stars?

• Yes, always the same stars
• No, the stars change slowly
• No stars are seen in July

Move the Earth round the Sun

The yellow arrow shows the way we look at night, away from the Sun. The patterns are made-up star groups.

A new direction each month

As the Earth goes round the Sun, the way we look at night changes. So we see different stars as the months pass.

Because the Earth revolves around the Sun, the stars seen in the night sky after sunset gradually change over the year as we look in different directions.

Notes

Because the Earth revolves around the Sun, the stars seen in the night sky after sunset gradually change over the year as we look in different directions.

Check yourself

Why do the stars we see after sunset change through the year?

The change in the stars we see is …

At night, we look …

After a whole year, the Earth is back at its first place on the orbit. The night sky …

• The Earth goes round the Sun, so we look in different directions — correct. Yes! The night side points to different stars.
• The Moon hides some of them. The Moon does not decide which stars we see through the year.
• The stars move to new places every month. The stars do not hop about. We see different ones because our direction of view changes.
• none at all. The stars we see do change slowly through the year.
• gradual, over the year — correct. Yes! It changes a little at a time.
• sudden, from one night to the next. The change is gradual. A little changes each night.
• straight at the Sun. That is the daytime direction.
• only towards the Moon. We look away from the Sun. The Moon is just one thing in the sky.
• away from the Sun — correct. Yes! The night side of the Earth faces away from the Sun.
• shows the same stars again — correct. Yes! The way we look is the same again.
• shows completely new stars. The Earth is back at the start, so the same stars are seen again.
• has no stars. Stars are there all the time. We see them when the sky is dark.