Why Do We Have ‘Seasons’ and How Are They Related to the Earth’s Orbit?

Imagine the Earth is like a spinning top, and it goes around the Sun, just like how you go around your friend when you play tag. Sometimes we're closer to the Sun, sometimes farther away. That’s why we have seasons! Seasons happen because of the tilt in the Earth’s axis as it moves around the Sun. When one part of the Earth is tilted toward the Sun, that part gets more sunlight, and that means summer. When it's tilted away, it's winter.

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Examples

When you’re outside on a sunny day, it feels warm, that’s like summer for Earth. When it's cloudy and chilly, that's like winter.
Imagine your friend is holding a flashlight, when they point it directly at you, it's bright (like summer). When they turn the light away from you, it's darker (like winter).
If you live near the North Pole, summer means 24 hours of sunlight! Winter brings 24 hours of darkness.

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Categories: Science · seasons,earth orbit,astronomy