How Does a Planet Get Its ‘Seasons’?

Imagine Earth is like a spinning top. It leans at an angle as it goes around the Sun. When one side of the Earth leans toward the Sun, that part gets more sunlight and feels warmer, that’s summer! The other side leans away and gets less sunlight, that’s winter. But why does this happen? Because of Earth's tilt and its journey around the Sun.

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Examples

  1. Imagine Earth like a top that leans while it spins around the Sun. When it leans toward the Sun, we get summer.
  2. If Earth didn’t tilt, both hemispheres would have the same seasons, no winter or summer.
  3. When it’s winter in the Northern Hemisphere, it’s summer in the Southern Hemisphere.

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Categories: Physics · seasons· tilt· orbit· astronomy