Final answer:
The sun affects earth's climate through its altitude and the directness of its rays, which influence the intensity of lighting and daylight duration throughout the year.
Sunspots and Earth's orbital characteristics also impact solar energy reaching the surface. Atmospheric refraction and twilight additionally extend the perception of daylight.
Step-by-step explanation:
The sun significantly affects earth's climate through the intensity and duration of sunlight reaching the surface. During summer, the Sun is higher in the sky, and its rays strike Earth more directly, leading to less spread and stronger warming effects.
In contrast, during winter, the Sun's lower position results in its rays spreading across a larger area, which is less efficient for heating. The varying angle at which sunlight hits Earth causes differences in intensity of lighting and the number of daylight hours, with longer days in summer and shorter in winter.
Another aspect influenced by the Sun is related to sunspots, which can indicate the solar magnetic activity level. Sunspots are cooler and darker compared to their surroundings, affecting solar irradiance.
These factors, alongside Earth's orbital changes, tilt, and axis positioning, dictate the amount of solar energy received and contribute to seasonal and long-term climate variations.
Finally, atmospheric refraction allows us to see the Sun a bit earlier at sunrise and later at sunset than if the Earth had no atmosphere, due to the bending of light.
The atmosphere also scatters and twilight which prolongs the ambient light even when the Sun is below the horizon.