The Earth is the third planet in line from the sun. Its orbit around the sun is not circular but elliptical by nature and in pattern. Earth is an average distance of 150 million kilometers from the sun, and it moves as close as 147 million kilometers in its passing. It is also known on occasion to orbit even farther, reaching a distance of 152 million kilometers. Earth balances itself out due to the fact that when the planet is orbiting at its closest, the southern hemisphere gets more heat. However, the extra ocean space prevalent in the southern hemisphere absorbs this excess energy and distributes it safely.
Weighing in on the astronomical scale with the title of being the "farthest planet from the sun" is Neptune. This planet, number eight, orbits in an elliptical pattern and measures as far a distance as 4.55 billion kilometers. It is worth noting that, prior to recent scientific determinations that altered the categorization of Pluto to dwarf planet status, Pluto originally held this title. Its orbit regularly reaches as far away as 7.38 billion kilometers. Another interesting fact is that even when Pluto was identified as a traditional planet, at times Neptune surpassed it in orbit, and was then also regarded as the farthest planet from the sun.
There are multiple reasons why it is important to consider the effects of shadows and their lengths. A home environment benefits from this type of information if the family residing in the home is intent on having a certain amount of sunlight hit a particular room for a certain period of time. Gardeners enjoy being able to gauge how their flower beds or produce will most likely grow or benefit from certain outdoor placement. By knowing how to ascertain why a shadow will appear, you can adequately learn how to gauge when they will appear and where.
When your curiosity and inquisitive nature pops into overdrive, take a few minutes and measure your shadow. This is an easy process to do, and yields fun and educational results. Begin by measuring your height. Then go online and visit a site to check the exact location of the sun at the moment of the experiment. Log that altitude in your science journal and factor your height into the equation. The easiest way to factor it is to allow the same site to quickly complete the calculations for you. Each person's shadow extends a specific number of units from the mid-point of his footsteps.