Hello there, sun worshipper! Here at the Sun Spot is where we'll be exploring what the Sun has to do with telling time, from day to day, from season to season, even from place to place! In the weeks to come, more games and activities will be showing up here at the Sun Spot, so don't forget to check back!

1. The Activities
   1. Why are the days getting longer?
   2. Walking in the path of the Sun
2. The Games
   • The Sun Tracker
   • Alien Rescue
3. The Data Machine
4. The Prizes
5. The Hall of Brains
6. The Geek Speak Lounge

Questions like these have intrigued us for centuries, even as far back as 2000 B.C. Read the Times article for Dr. Leila's blast from the past.

Let's try to answer these questions here at the Sun Spot. We'll start by collecting our own data. By pooling information from people over the world, we just might be able to figure something out.

So do your part by measuring the sunrise and sunset times where you live and entering it into the Data Machine. You can do this first-hand, or you might be able to look it up somewhere. Remember to record your location and the date together with your sunrise and sunset data. When you are ready to enter it into the Data Machine, be sure to choose the right question: "What time does the Sun rise and set?"

Not only might you get a Whyville prize out of this, but you'll also be contributing to the Mystery Jigsaw Puzzle.

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Walking in the Path of the Sun

Now that we have been keeping track of sunrise and sunset times for a while, as true sun worshippers, it is time to advance to the next level: we must follow in the path of the fiery sun. And how do we do that? By tracking its path along the sky, of course!

Beware! You mustn't accomplish this by staring directly at the sun! This is very dangerous as it can easily hurt your eyes. Instead, Dr. Leila has devised a tool that can help us.

Check out the Los Angeles Times article from last week and this week to find out how. Strangely enough, you'll be needing a 2-liter soda bottle, a piece of cardboard, a straw, and a compass if you have one. Intrigued?

This nifty tool, called a celestial sphere, will help you track the path of the sun across the sky. There's one made already at the lab (can you find it?), but you should really make your own. Get the directions (in English and Spanish!) by clicking on the that's sitting on the floor.

But what if you want to know its path from somewhere else on Earth? From the North Pole? From Australia? And what if you just had to know what its path is 6 months from today, and you just can't wait?

Well, we have just the thing for you here at the Sun Spot. The Sun Tracker will let you go to different places all over the world and time travel to any day of the year to track the sun's course. Where and when would you go to lose your shadow in broad daylight? What about if you want to take a 24-hour nap in total darkness? Travel with the Sun Tracker to explore these whims of fancy and more. Enter your findings and upload your Sun Tracker plots at the Data Machine, and we'll publish your results right here in Whyville.

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The Sun Tracker is in the main lab of the Sun Spot, and it looks like a wire-frame globe.

When you click on the Sun Tracker, you will first see a page containing its instructions. Read through the instructions on that page, and when you are ready, launch the Sun Tracker by clicking on the "Launch Tracker" button.

The Sun Tracker may look complicated at first, but it's really very easy to use. Just be sure you follow the directions carefully!

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Friendly alien tourists need your help! They are stranded all around the world and scattered in time as well, and they need your help to get back to their ship.

In order to help them, you'll have to listen carefully to the messages they are sending back, and use your knowledge of geography, culture, and of course of the path of the Sun, to figure out where they are.

We're receiving transmissions from the aliens right here in the Sun Spot. Click on the space ship to find out more!

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The Data Machine

To enter in data, click on the Data Machine. Next, choose the question you're answering using the pull-down menu at the top of the machine.

If you want to enter in sunrise and sunset data, you'll want to choose the question, "What time does the Sun rise and set?" from the pull-down menu. Press submit, and you'll see another screen of the Data Machine. Enter:

1. the major city closest to the location you collected data for
2. the month and day you collected your data
3. sunrise time
4. sunset time

If you have anything else you'd like to add, type it into the box labeled "Input Text".

If you're not answering a specific question, choose the last option, "Thoughts and observations on the Sun". Type in your thoughts and observations in the box labeled "Input Text". The "Upload Image" area is for uploading a GIF or JPG file from your computer. Click the "Browse" button to choose the file you want to upload.

When you are ready to submit your data, click the submit button, and everything will be recorded on your very own Whyville diskette. This way, you can look up your results any time you want.

WARNING: Only registered Whyville citizens can use the Data Machine. If you're registered, and you still can't get to the Machine, it's probably because you haven't signed in.

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The Prizes

• a pair of sunglasses
• a parasol
• a magnifying glass
• a solar panel

It's a good idea to keep these prizes around, because you just might find them useful one of these sunny days...

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Hall of Brains

In the Hall of Brains you'll be able to see who the hot shot Sun worshippers are. Their brains are probably so big because they've been getting too much Sun!

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Geek Speak Lounge

The Geek Speak Lounge is where you can chat about topics addressed in this lab.

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