The left side the Earth appears light, and the far-right side, dark. That is because the sun is represented to be shining on the left side, where it is day. The opposite side being in the shade, has night.

On the picture, in most of North and South America, it is day. In Europe, Africa, and much of Asia, it is night. To cause day in Europe, Africa, and Asia, the Earth must turn around so as to bring them toward the sun. Now, any little boy or girl can tell whether Americas will have day or night, when the other continents have day.

The side of the Earth which is toward the sun has day, and the opposite side has night. Therefore, as the Earth turns around, or whirls like a top, every place will have day, then night, then day again, and so on continually. The sun shines on one half of the Earth at a time. If the Earth did not whirl about, it would be day continually on the side toward the sun, and continual night in all countries on the opposite side.

As the sun to shines upon the Earth to give day, what change would take place with day and night, when the sun ceases shining?

Look again at the picture, and you will notice the sun shining on one side of the Earth, and the moon shining on the opposite side, where it is night. The world is at that time between the sun and moon, which is always the case when you see the moon full and bright. The stars you see at night are large shining bodies like the sun, but appear smaller than the moon or the sun, because they are much further from us. The Earth is larger than the moon, and the sun is much larger than the Earth. The moon is nearer to us than the sun.

Notebook Work: Based on the positions of the sun and globe, label one side of the globe night and the other side day.