The Sun

The sun is the source of energy which drives the weather. All of the heat and light on Earth comes from the Sun. The Sun is actually a ball of glowing gases that is 93 million miles away from the Earth. The Sun provides the Earth with solar energy in the from of waves which are similar to radio waves. The majority of this solar energy is actually lost in space. Of the energy that does reach the Earth, 15% is absorbed by the Earth's atmosphere, 42% is reflected back into space, and 43% is absorbed be the Earth's surface.

At all times the Earth is rotating around the Sun. The Earth spins as it rotates and this is responsible for day and night. One day is the length of time that the Earth takes to rotate one time on its axis. The time it takes for the Earth to completely circle the Sun is 365 1/4 days or one year. The seasons change because the Earth revolves around the Sun. During the winter months, North America is tilted away from the Sun causing the cooler weather. There is one place where the weather remains warm all year long: the equator. The equator is an imaginary line around the center of the Earth. The equator remains warm because it is directly aligned with the Sun.

Don't forget the sunscreen!
The rays of the sun are very powerful, and can give you a sunburn even when the sky is cloudy!