Where’s your shadow?

Take a walk outdoors early on a sunny morning, and your shadow will be long and to one side. Later in the day, while you’re playing, your shadow becomes short and almost seems to hide. You can probably stretch your leg over your shadow’s head. Later, just before sunset, your shadow friend will be long and to the other side of you. Why does your shadow grow and shrink while you stay exactly the same size?

Your shadow’s size has to do with the sun’s position in the sky. Every day the sun appears to move across the sky. It rises in the east and sets in the west.

When the sun first comes up in the morning, it is very low in the sky. Most of your body blocks some light, so your shadow is very tall. And since the sun always rises in the east, your morning shadow will always be to the west.

As the morning turns to noon, the sun gets higher in the sky, and your shadow becomes shorter. By noon, the sun almost forms a straight line with your body. Your body is blocking very little light from the sun. This makes your shadow very short.

As afternoon passes, the sun’s position continues to move across the sky. The sun moves downwards, and your shadow grows taller again, this time to the east. By the time the sun is ready to set in the evening, it is very low in the sky, and your shadow will once again be very tall. As it gets dark, your shadow disappears.

Picture Credit : Google

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