Create account Log in

What Causes ‘Seasons’ and Why Are They Different in Each Hemisphere?

Imagine the Earth is like a spinning top that’s slightly tilted. When one side of the Earth faces more directly toward the Sun, it gets summer, and the other side gets winter. Because the Earth turns on its axis, each half of the planet takes turns being closer to or farther from the Sun throughout the year. That's why people in the Northern Hemisphere have summer when it’s winter in the Southern Hemisphere.

Take the quiz →

Examples

  1. When you're in summer, your friend on the other side of the world might be in winter because they are tilted away from the Sun.
  2. Tilt is like holding a flashlight at an angle, when it’s closer, things get brighter, just like summer.
  3. Winter means your part of Earth is leaning slightly away from the Sun, so you get less sunlight.

Ask a question

See also

Discussion

Recent activity

Categories: Science · seasons,Earth science,hemispheres