SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/aero-seasons-tilt
What causes Earth's seasons?
The tilt of Earth's axis.
- Earth getting closer to and farther from the Sun
- The tilt of Earth's axis ✔
- The Sun getting hotter in summer
Why: Earth's axis leans over. When the North Pole tilts toward the Sun, the Northern Hemisphere gets more direct sunlight and has summer. When it tilts away, it has winter.
Huh, didn't know that: Seasons are opposite in the two hemispheres: June is winter in Australia.
Why did Earth lean over? It was trying to get a better view of the Sun.
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References
Answer: The tilt of Earth's axis. Earth's axis leans over. When the North Pole tilts toward the Sun, the Northern Hemisphere gets more direct sunlight and has summer. When it tilts away, it has winter.
- NASA Space Place: What Causes the Seasons? spaceplace.nasa.gov/seasons/en
Earth's tilted axis causes the seasons.
Checked 2026-10-10.
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