The Seasons

Our Four Seasons

• Earth’s revolution around
the Sun takes 365.25 days.

• During that one-year period,

Earth’s weather patterns
change in a regular,
predictable cycle.

• Spring, summer, autumn and

winter are the four divisions
of the year that we call
seasons.

created by Mrs. Bodine-Donahue 12/2006

You might think that the
seasons are caused by
Earth’s changing distance
from the Sun due to Earth’s
elliptical orbit.

In other words, some people believe it is warmer in the summer because we are
closer to the Sun, and colder in the winter because we are farther away. But
this is not true!

The difference in the distance to the Sun at different points on the ellipse is
very small, not enough to cause a major change in the weather.

created by Mrs. Bodine-Donahue 12/2006

 Polaris;
the North Star

We have different
seasons because
Earth’s axis is tilted
23.5 degrees.

This tilt is called

Earth’s axial tilt.

As Earth travels in its orbit around the Sun, Earth’s tilt stays the same. This
makes Earth’s North or South Poles lean towards or away from the Sun at
different times of the year.

The North Pole is always pointed towards the star Polaris, also known as the
North Star.

created by Mrs. Bodine-Donahue 12/2006

 What Causes the Seasons?

• The angle of the Sun matters: when the

Sun is at a low angle, it does not heat as
efficiently as it does when it is high angle.
DIRECT AND INDIRECT ENERGY: Imagine the flashlights to be the sun. The energy
coming from each flashlight is the same, but the way the light is striking the ground is
different.

The two flashlights on the left are allowing their energy to strike the ground
DIRECTLY in a concentrated manner. The flashlight on the right is tilted so that when
its energy strikes the ground, the energy is spread over a much larger area. The energy
from the tilted flashlight is striking the ground INDIRECTLY, and its energy is less
concentrated.
created by Mrs. Bodine-Donahue 12/2006
 Seasons on Earth

Angle of incidence… equator vs. poles

North Pole

Equator

Earth

South Pole
Thus, Insolation is more intense near the equator compared to the poles.
For this reason, it’s warmer near the equator than at the poles.
 Earth’s Seasons

I. Tilt of the Earth’s axis towards or away from the sun creates the seasons

When the north pole tilts toward the SUMMER (Northern Hemisphere)
sun, it gets more radiation – more warmth ol e
during the summer th P
r
No

a r th
E
o l e
When the north pole tilts toward the th P
sun, the south pole tilts away Sou
So when it’s summer in the north,
it’s winter in the south
WINTER (Southern Hemisphere)
Did you notice that when the northern [top] half of the Earth
is pointing away from the Sun, the southern [bottom] half is
pointing toward it?

As the Earth revolves around the Sun, the northern and

southern hemispheres have opposite seasons.

created by Mrs. Bodine-Donahue 12/2006

 Earth’s Seasons

I. Tilt of the Earth’s axis towards or away from the sun creates the seasons
WINTER (Northern Hemisphere)
When the north pole tilts away No
from the sun, it gets less Insolation – rth
Po
So it’s colder during the winter le

Eq
ua tor
Ea
rth
So
uth
When the north pole tilts away from the Po
le
sun, the south pole tilts toward it…
When it’s winter in the north,
it’s summer in the south
SUMMER (Southern Hemisphere)
As Earth moves around the Sun,
its northern half, or hemisphere,
receives more or less sunlight
than the southern one.

These changes in direct or

indirect sunlight create the
seasons.

In the diagram above, the Sun’s rays hit the southern hemisphere
almost directly, so days are warm and bright. It is experiencing summer.

In the northern hemisphere the Sun’s rays hit are hitting at an angle, so
the sunlight is indirect and not as strong. Days are cooler and dimmer.
The northern part is having winter.

created by Mrs. Bodine-Donahue 12/2006

What Causes the Seasons?
The Sun’s rays strike less directly on the part of the Earth that tilts
away from the Sun. That part gets less energy. A place that gets less
energy from the sun becomes colder.

The Sun’s rays strike more directly on the part of Earth that tilts toward
the Sun. That part of Earth gets more energy. A place that gets more energy
is warmer.
created by Mrs. Bodine-Donahue 12/2006
Near Earth’s equator, the Sun is never far from directly overhead
at noon. Temperatures stay warm all year at the equator because
the Sun’s rays always hit it almost directly.

Earth has two solstices a year. The solstices are the two times of
the year when the Sun’s direct rays strike earth the farthest north
or south of the equator.

created by Mrs. Bodine-Donahue 12/2006

Around June 20, Earth passes through a point in its orbit called the summer
solstice. At this time, the Northern Hemisphere is tilted directly towards the
Sun. It is the first day of summer. It is the longest period of daylight. The
Southern Hemisphere is tilted directly away from the Sun at this time, so it is
the first day of winter.

Around December 21, Earth reaches the winter solstice. At this time, the
Northern Hemisphere is tilted directly away from the Sun. It is the Northern
Hemisphere’s first day of winter. It is also the day with the shortest period of
daylight. But in the Southern Hemisphere, it is the day with the longest period
of daylight and the start of summer.
created by Mrs. Bodine-Donahue 12/2006
JUNE 21
DECEMBER 21
Twice a year, between the solstices, the Sun’s rays strike the equator
directly. When this happens, day and night are equal in length everywhere
on Earth. Both hemisphere have 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of
darkness. These two days are called equinoxes, from the Latin word for
“equal night.”

The autumnal equinox occurs around September 23, marking the beginning
of autumn in the Northern Hemisphere.

The vernal equinox occurs around March 21, marking the beginning of
spring in the Northern Hemisphere.
created by Mrs. Bodine-Donahue 12/2006
SEPTEMBER AND MARCH 22
Equinox
The Sun is not quite at the
center of Earth’s elliptical
orbit.So, the distance
between Earth and the Sun
changes as Earth moves
throughout the year.

In some parts of its orbit,

Earth is a little closer to
the sun. In other parts of
its orbit, it is a little
farther away.

It’s the Tilt, Not the Distance!

. Earth’s distance from the Sun does not affect the seasons. We know this
to be true because if it were the distance, every place on Earth would have
the same season at the same time!

created by Mrs. Bodine-Donahue 12/2006

http://www.uwsp.edu/geo/faculty/ritter/geog101/textbook/en
ergy/earth_sun_relations_seasons.html

created by Mrs. Bodine-Donahue 12/2006