Lesson 14 of 19
The tilt makes the seasons
Show on a big screenSummer and winter return every year. Why do they?
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The idea
Earth's axis is the line through its two poles.
Step 1 of 4
- Earth's axis is tilted. It keeps the same direction all year.
- In June the north leans toward the Sun. It gets long days. It is summer.
- In December the north leans away. It gets short days. It is winter.
- The south is the other way round.
Seasons come from Earth's tilted axis as it goes round the Sun.
Earth's axis leans. In June the north leans toward the Sun. So its sunlight is stronger.
Earth is round, so the lean changes how straight sunlight falls.
The same sunlight falls on a smaller patch than in winter. That patch gets hotter.
Watch out!
Seasons do not come from Earth's distance from the Sun. Earth is nearest the Sun in January.
Try the lab to finish this lesson.