Why the Earth has seasons?
Many people think that some parts of the year are hotter because we're nearer to the Sun, but the real reason is that the Earth is wonky (tilted).
We have seasons because the earth is tilted (wonky) as it makes its yearly journey around the sun.
The Earth's tilt
The Earth's axis is tilted at an angle of 23.5 degrees. This means that the Earth is always "pointing" to one side as it goes around the Sun. So, sometimes the Sun is in the direction that the Earth is pointing, but not at other times. The varying amounts of sunlight around the Earth during the year, creates the seasons.
A season is a subdivision of the year, marked by changes in weather, ecology, and hours of daylight. Seasons result from the yearly revolution of the Earth around the Sun and the tilt of the Earth's axis relative to the plane of revolution. In temperate and polar regions, the seasons are marked by changes in the intensity of sunlight that reaches the Earth's surface, variations of which may cause animals to go into hibernation or to migrate, and plants to be dormant.
During May, June and July, the northern hemisphere is exposed to more direct sunlight because the hemisphere faces the sun. The same is true of the southern hemisphere in November, December and January. It is the tilt of the Earth that causes the Sun to be higher in the sky during the summer months which increases the solar flux. However, due to seasonal lag, June, July and August are the hottest months in the northern hemisphere and December, January and February are the hottest months in the southern hemisphere.
The Earth takes 365.24 days to orbit the sun. As we move around the Sun during the year, the amount of light each area of the planet receives varies in length.
When the Earth's axis points towards the Sun, it is summer for that hemisphere. When the Earth's axis points away, winter can be expected.
The north pole tilts towards the sun
We have seasons because the earth is tilted (wonky) as it makes its yearly journey around the sun.
The Earth's tilt
The Earth's axis is tilted at an angle of 23.5 degrees. This means that the Earth is always "pointing" to one side as it goes around the Sun. So, sometimes the Sun is in the direction that the Earth is pointing, but not at other times. The varying amounts of sunlight around the Earth during the year, creates the seasons.
A season is a subdivision of the year, marked by changes in weather, ecology, and hours of daylight. Seasons result from the yearly revolution of the Earth around the Sun and the tilt of the Earth's axis relative to the plane of revolution. In temperate and polar regions, the seasons are marked by changes in the intensity of sunlight that reaches the Earth's surface, variations of which may cause animals to go into hibernation or to migrate, and plants to be dormant.
During May, June and July, the northern hemisphere is exposed to more direct sunlight because the hemisphere faces the sun. The same is true of the southern hemisphere in November, December and January. It is the tilt of the Earth that causes the Sun to be higher in the sky during the summer months which increases the solar flux. However, due to seasonal lag, June, July and August are the hottest months in the northern hemisphere and December, January and February are the hottest months in the southern hemisphere.
The Earth takes 365.24 days to orbit the sun. As we move around the Sun during the year, the amount of light each area of the planet receives varies in length.
When the Earth's axis points towards the Sun, it is summer for that hemisphere. When the Earth's axis points away, winter can be expected.
The north pole tilts towards the sun
It is Summer time in countries in the Northern Hemisphere.
It is Winter time in countries in the Southern Hemisphere.
The north pole tilts away from the sun
It is Winter time in countries in the Northern Hemisphere.
It is Summer time in countries in the Southern Hemisphere.
Summer Months
Summer is warmer and winter is colder because of the length of our days and nights.
In the summer daylight lasts longer and night time is shorter.
Winter Months
In winter the days are shorter and the nights longer.There is more time for the sun to warm us during long summer days. And short winter days have long, cold nights.
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