Planet Earth

Welcome to the Planet Earth module of our GCSE Astronomy pages. Click on the pictures to visit the start of each of the course element or select a keyword to jump to a specific topic.

There are links to our existing astronomical fact files which can be used to supplement these pages.

• the size and shape of the Earth
• the atmosphere
• the orbit of the Earth

• solar and sidereal day
• the Earth year
• the seasons and changing day length

• shadows sticks
• sundials
• the equation of time

• latitude and longtitude
• time zones

Our view of the sky

• local and celestial co-ordinates
• circumpolar stars
• the ecliptic
• atmospheric refraction
  
  

National Curriculum links

KS4 - Science - Double

Sc4 Physical processes

4. The Earth and beyond
a) the relative positions and sizes of planets, stars and other bodies in the universe [for example, comets, meteors, galaxies, black holes]

KS4 - Mathematics - Higher

Ma3 Shape, space and measures

4. Measures and construction
a) Use angle measure (for example, use bearings to specify direction)