Planet Zindau
For this assignment, you are challenged to answer a series of questions about a fictional planet, Zindau, to demonstrate your understanding of Module Two’s seasonality concepts.
Prompt: Our story begins in the Andromeda Galaxy. You are an inhabitant of a planet called Zindau, which is approximately the size of Earth. It orbits a star that is about the same size as the Sun. Further, the distance between these celestial bodies is approximate to the Earth and Sun. However, there are some differences:
- Planet Zindau has an equal distribution of land and water between both hemispheres.
- Planet Zindau has an axial tilt of 35 degrees.
- Although the perihelion and aphelion occur at about the same time as the solstices (as it does for Earth), the eccentricity of Zindau’s orbit is 10% (ascompared to about 2% for Earth). The alignment of the perihelion and aphelion relative to the year is the same as that for Earth.
Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed:Answer the following questions in sentence format. Try to answer each question in a sentence or two.
- Where will the significant lines of latitude (equator, Tropics, Circles) align on Zindau?
- How will the equal distribution of land and water affect seasonal temperatures between the hemispheres relative to the perihelion/solstice andaphelion/solstice?
- How does the increased tilt affect critical components of seasonality across the latitudes as compared to Earth?
- a) How would the daylight period be affected across the latitudes through the year?
- b) How would beam spreading and depletion be affected across the latitudes?
- c) How would the solar angle incidence be affected across the latitudes?
- Calculate the winter and summer solstice solar angles for a point existing at 45 degrees north latitude. Are there any other aspects of Zindau/Sun relationships that would be affected? If so, what are they and how would they be different from that of Earth?
- Describe seasonality through the year for both hemispheres
