🔍 Key Concepts

• Declination as the celestial equivalent of latitude • How the Sun's position changes over the year between the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn • The meaning of solstice compared to equinox

💭 Think About

• Think about what happens to the Sun’s northern or southern position in the sky at the very height of summer in the Northern Hemisphere. • Does the Sun cross the celestial equator at a solstice or at an equinox? How does that relate to 0° declination? • At the summer solstice, is the Sun still moving farther north, starting to move south again, or crossing the equator?

✅ Before You Answer

• Verify what 0° declination means in relation to the celestial equator. • Recall which dates (around June 21 vs March 21/September 23 vs December 21) are solstices and which are equinoxes, and what the Sun’s declination is at each. • Check which answer choice corresponds to the Sun being farthest from the celestial equator toward the Northern Hemisphere.