What Causes the Seasons on Earth?

The seasons happen because Earth tilts as it goes around the Sun. Imagine Earth like a spinning top, it’s tilted at an angle of about 23 degrees. When one part of Earth is tilted toward the Sun, that side gets more sunlight and feels warmer, which means summer! When that same part is tilted away from the Sun, there's less sunlight, so it gets colder, winter!

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Examples

  1. Imagine you’re on a merry-go-round, tilted at an angle; when you're facing the sun, it feels like summer!
  2. If you live near the North Pole, you might have six months of sunlight followed by six months of darkness, that's because of Earth’s tilt.
  3. Your favorite season changes every year because Earth is always moving and tilting as it travels around the Sun.

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Categories: Science · Earth· Seasons· Orbit