Altered time

Abstract We live in a rhythmic world. In most places on Earth there is an alternation between night and day. Because the Earth is tilted on its axis with respect to its plane of movement about the sun, the length of a day varies during the course of a year and gives rise to the seasons. Near the equ...

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Bibliographic Details
Other Authors: Waterhouse, J M
Format: Book Part
Language:unknown
Published: Oxford University PressNew York, NY 1994
Subjects:
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780192622655.003.0010
https://academic.oup.com/book/chapter-pdf/52223277/isbn-9780192622655-book-part-10.pdf
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Summary:Abstract We live in a rhythmic world. In most places on Earth there is an alternation between night and day. Because the Earth is tilted on its axis with respect to its plane of movement about the sun, the length of a day varies during the course of a year and gives rise to the seasons. Near the equator, such changes are modest; as one moves towards the poles, however, the changes become more marked. The seasons can be very different not only in the mean daily temperature but also in the distribution of light and darkness. In temperate latitudes, daylight can last as long as 16 hand as little as 8 h in the summer and winter respectively. Once the Arctic and Antarctic Circles have been reached, daylight can be non-existent during winter or continuous during summer.