Changing shadows

Shadows grow, shrink and move as the Sun moves.

Morning shadows

In the morning the Sun is low. Shadows are long. They point to the west.

A shadow is longest when the Sun is lowest in the sky.

At midday the Sun is high. Shadows are short. They are almost under you!

In the middle of the day the Sun is high, so shadows are short.

In the evening the Sun is low again. Shadows are long and point to the east. A shadow always points away from the Sun.

In the evening, shadows point to the east, away from the setting Sun.

Long ago, people used a sundial. The shadow of a stick moves round like a clock hand. It shows the time on a sunny day.

As the Earth turns, the shadow moves round the sundial like the hand of a clock.