Ever wonder why the northern and summer hemispheres have opposite seasons? Or why the longest day of the year is considered the start of summer?
For elementary students, Enchanted Learning defines the terms solstice and equinox, and explains why we have four seasons.
With illustrations and animations, this online exhibit from the Liverpool Museums explains how the tilt of the Earth's axis causes the Earth's four seasons, and how a sundial works.
"The Earth spins on a tilted axis about once every 24 hours to create what we know as day and night. This axis is an invisible line through the center of the Earth."
For high school and college students, retired NASA physicist David Stern explains the earth's orbit around the sun, why we have seasons, and answers lots of related questions.
It is a common misconception that the seasons are caused by the Earth's changing distance to the sun, as it travels in an elliptical orbit around it.
Sonora Dodd first proposed her Father's Day idea in 1909. Dodd wanted a special day (much like Mother's Day) to honor her father, William Smart. Smart, a Civil War veteran, singlehandedly raised Dodd and her five siblings on a farm in rural Washington, af
Memorial Day (originally known as Decoration Day) was first observed in 1868 to honor the soldiers of the Civil War. Its origins can be traced back to General John A. Logan who proclaimed: "The 30th of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing
Groundhog Day folklore says if Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow when he comes out of his burrow on February 2, there will be six more weeks of winter. If it is overcast, and the groundhog does not see his shadow, then spring must be near. How accurate is
In December of 2001, Congress passed a joint resolution permitting the President to declare September 11 of each year as Patriot Day, in commemoration of the 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States. It is customary to fly the flag at half mast, and to
April 22, 2006 is the thirty-sixth celebration of Earth Day. This year's theme is Climate Change as Earth Day Network embarks on a three-year campaign focusing on solutions to global warming. Although ideally everyday should be Earth Day, the annual holid
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