Mechanism of The Seasons

Mechanism of The Seasons

The seasons result from the Earth's axis being tilted to its orbital plane; it deviates by an angle of approximately 23.5 degrees. Thus, at any given time during summer or winter, one part of the planet is more directly exposed to the rays of the Sun. This exposure alternates as the Earth revolves in its orbit. Therefore, at any given time, regardless of season, the northern and southern hemispheres experience opposite seasons.
The effect of axis tilt is observable from the change in day length, and altitude of the Sun at noon (the culmination of the Sun), during a year.
Seasonal weather differences between hemispheres are further caused by the elliptical orbit of Earth. Earth reaches perihelion (the point in its orbit closest to the Sun) in January, and it reaches aphelion (farthest point from the Sun) in July. Even though the effect this has on Earth's seasons is minor, it does noticeably soften the northern hemisphere's winters and summers. In the southern hemisphere, the opposite effect is observed.

Seasons result from the yearly revolution of the Earth around the Sun and the tilt of the Earth's axis relative to the plane of revolution. In temperate and polar regions, the seasons are marked by changes in the intensity of sunlight that reaches the Earth's surface, variations of which may cause animals to go into hibernation or to migrate, and plants to be dormant.
During May, June and July, the northern hemisphere is exposed to more direct sunlight because the hemisphere faces the sun. The same is true of the southern hemisphere in November, December and January. It is the tilt of the Earth that causes the Sun to be higher in the sky during the summer months which increases the solar flux. However, due to seasonal lag, June, July and August are the hottest months in the northern hemisphere and December, January and February are the hottest months in the southern hemisphere.

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• Mechanisim of Seasons
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• Spring Equinox
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• Autumn Equinox
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[1800FruityTangerine]

Thumbs up if at 5:50 you noticed the poles got mixed up. :P

[KurdstanPlanetarium]

@1800FruityTangerine Thank you for your feed back, well spotted...its been corrected now!

[CrustyBiker]

Facinating explaination, I always used to think that winter was so cold due to the sun being at is furthest from the Earth on an eliptical rotation around the Sun, but It's mainly due to the number of daylight hours we recieve in every 24hour cycle then as well and maybe secondly because of the angle at which the sun hits us?

[KurdstanPlanetarium]

@CrustyBiker thank you thats true, and would you belive that the Sun is 5 Millon Km closer to Earth in Winter than in Summer !!

[joeisaturtle]

@KurdstanPlanetarium for the northern hemisphere.

[KurdstanPlanetarium]

@joeisaturtle yes but for the southern hemispher can be used too but the seasons must be the oppoistes. i.e Spring in northern hemisphere is Autumn in the southern hemisphere, Summer in north is Winter in south and vise versa...

[GowanBray]

Also Mechanism not Mechanisim but nice video. Thanks

[honeyhotsauce]

Kool stuff

[KurdstanPlanetarium]

@misapra you welcome...glad you found it useful

[misapra]

Great explanation - thanks