First year of secondary education
The Earth and the Universe
José Luis San Emeterio
Teaching Units
 Universe 
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Conclusions on the earth's rotation and translation
The earth's rotation around its axis in 24 hours causes the succession of days and nights. The direction of the rotational axis of the earth points towards the Pole star which, for this reason appears to us to be stationary, thus becoming a fixed reference for travellers.

The movement of the earth's translation around the sun lasts a little more than 365 days, making it necessary to introduce a leap year (one more day every 4 years).

This movement, combined with the inclination of the earth's axis originates the seasons. 

The seasons in the North and South hemisphere are opposite: when it is winter in the North, it is summer in the South and vice versa. 

Seen from the earth, it seems to us that the sun is the one that moves during the year, going through the constellations of the zodiac. 


The Earth's movement
Does the Earth move?
Rotation of the planet
Translation. The seasons
Conclusions
The solar system
The sun and the moon
The planets
The rest of the solar system
Conclusions
The sun and the stars
What are fixed stars?
Life and death of the stars
Conclusions
The known universe
The Milky Way
Other galaxies
Conclusions
Evaluation