Earth: The Tilt and Seasons

Today in class we focused primarily on our planet Earth... These were some of my takeaways.

If you already didn't know, our planet actually has a tilt to it (all planets do)... This tilt is actually the reason we have our beautiful, hot summers and cold, snowy winters!

Lets take a look at why our planet has a tilt and how it compares to other planets...

So what exactly is the tilt of Earth? How do seasons result from this?

The tilt of Earth's axis is 23.5 degrees. This angle varies a little over time as our planet rotates. Thankfully the moon prevents it from shifting from more than a or so, by using it's gravitational pull. This tilt is what grants us with the different seasons throughout the year.

As demonstrated in the image above, the tilt of Earth's axis is always pointed in the same direction. This means that as we orbit around the Sun, different hemispheres are exposed to varying amounts of sunlight.

What do these seasons look like in regards to the position of the Earth?

In the Northern Hemisphere, Winter begins on December 21-22 (the Winter Solstice) and Summer begins on June 20-21 (the Summer Solstice). The Southern Hemisphere however, is the exact opposite of this with Winter in June and Summer in December.

When talking about the position of Earth regarding the seasons, we must split the information up into two parts in regards to the hemispheres...

Northern Hemisphere:

In June, it's tilted towards the sun. The sun's rays hit it for a greater period of the day, meaning it gets more hours of daylight. This is why we have "longer" hours in the Summer season.

In December, it's tilted away from the sun, which results in fewer daylight hours. This is why night comes "faster" in the Winter season.

Southern Hemisphere:

In December, it's tilted towards the sun, which results in more daylight hours. This is why the days are "longer" in the Summer season.

In June, it's tilted away from the sun, which results in fewer daylight hours. This is why it gets darker "faster" in the Winter season.

What about the Northern and Southern poles?

North Pole:

During Summer, the pole is pointed towards the sun. From March (Spring Equinox) to September (Fall Equinox), the sun is up in the sky. This is known as a "Polar Day" and the sun is constantly visible in the sky during these six months. (It is Winter in South Pole)

During Winter, the pole is pointed away from the sun. From September (Fall Equinox) to March (Spring Equinox), the sun is set. This is known as a "Polar Night" and the sun is not visible in the sky during these six months. (It is Summer in South Pole)

South Pole:

During Winter, the pole is pointed away from the sun. From March (Spring Equinox) to September (Fall Equinox), the sun is set. This is known as a "Polar Night" and the sun is not visible during these six months. (It is Summer in North Pole)

During Summer, the pole is pointed towards the sun. From September (Fall Equinox) to March (Spring Equinox), the sun is up in the sky. This is known as a "Polar Day" and the sun is constantly visible in the sky during these six months. (It is Winter in North Pole)

I hope you enjoyed reading this!