Precession of the Equinoxes: a pedagogical proposal for secondary education teachers

TL;DR

This paper proposes a pedagogical approach for secondary education teachers to teach the precession of the equinoxes using a simplified Sun-Earth model, enhancing understanding of Earth's axial precession and its effects on zodiacal constellations.

Contribution

It introduces a didactic sequence with a simplified model to effectively teach Earth's precession and celestial movements in secondary education.

Findings

Educational model clarifies Earth's precession concept

Improves student understanding of celestial shifts

Provides practical teaching activities

Abstract

Second part of a didactic sequence of activities on some topics of Astronomy, related mainly with the real shape of the Earth, the gravitational interactions between our planet and other celestial bodies, and the resulting movement of the rotational axis of the Earth, leading to the precession of the equinoctial points. All elements are given for the construction of a simplified Sun-Earth system model, with a zodiacal band surrounding it, in order to show in a pedagogical manner how precession involves a shift of the zodiacal constellations in time.