Milankovitch cycle: Precession
Kirsten Zornado
What is precession?
Precession is the change of the direction of the Earth’s axis. At its peaks, it either points at the star Vega, or Polaris. It is caused by the gravity of the Sun and Moon.
How does this affect earth’s climate?
It is said that Precession affects the ice and snow in the polar regions, and also the solar energy that comes
How often does this occur? (what is the length of the cycle?)
It takes 13,000 years for the Earth to get from one side of the cycle to the other. To complete the cycle, it takes 26,000 years.
How might this affect seasons?
In 13,000 years, the seasons will switch; summer will be in December, and June will become winter. Our seasons will also become more extreme in 13,000 years, because in winter, we will be farther away from the sun, and in summer, we will be closer.
What is a celestial pole?
Put simply, a celestial pole is the star that the Earth’s pole is pointing at in its Precession cycle. Currently, the Earth is one degree away from pointing at the star Polaris. The other celestial pole is called Vega.
Poster made by Evan Mark and myself.
Kirsten Zornado
What is precession?
Precession is the change of the direction of the Earth’s axis. At its peaks, it either points at the star Vega, or Polaris. It is caused by the gravity of the Sun and Moon.
How does this affect earth’s climate?
It is said that Precession affects the ice and snow in the polar regions, and also the solar energy that comes
How often does this occur? (what is the length of the cycle?)
It takes 13,000 years for the Earth to get from one side of the cycle to the other. To complete the cycle, it takes 26,000 years.
How might this affect seasons?
In 13,000 years, the seasons will switch; summer will be in December, and June will become winter. Our seasons will also become more extreme in 13,000 years, because in winter, we will be farther away from the sun, and in summer, we will be closer.
What is a celestial pole?
Put simply, a celestial pole is the star that the Earth’s pole is pointing at in its Precession cycle. Currently, the Earth is one degree away from pointing at the star Polaris. The other celestial pole is called Vega.
Poster made by Evan Mark and myself.