“We have summer because the Earth

is nearer to the sun than in winter”

 FALSE !!!
• It is due to the Earth’s tilt !

• This is a common misconception for many …

 Addressing the Misconception
EVIDENCE #1
• Summer occurs in different months for the
Northern and Southern hemispheres.

• In the Northern hemisphere e.g. UK – summer

occurs in the months: June, July and August.
 Addressing the Misconception
EVIDENCE #2
• The Earth is at its closest distance to the sun
(Perihelion) in January !

• If this were true then summer would be in

January and not July !
 Explaining the Earth’s tilt
• The Earth’s axis of rotation is tilted at an angle
of 23.5o to the line perpendicular to the
orbital plane.
• The Earth’s tilt remains
fixed in direction and
does not change.
• The Earth’s tilt is respon-
sible for the seasons and
its changes.
 Explaining the Earth’s tilt
• In summer, the Earth is tilted towards the Sun.
 Explaining the Earth’s tilt
• In winter, the Earth is tilted away from the
Sun.
 Earth’s tilt - Season simulator

https://www.khanacademy.org/science/cosmology-and-
astronomy/earth-history-topic/earth-title-topic/p/season-simulator
 The effect of Sunlight angle
• When the sun’s rays are directed at an angle
the rays are spread over a greater area.

• This makes the light rays less concentrated

and less intense than overhead sunlight !
 Sunrise and sunset times for UK
• In the summer, sunrise is earlier and sunsets
later. The duration of daylight is longer.
• In the winter, sunrise is later and sunsets
earlier. The duration of daylight is shorter.
Months: Sunrise Sunset

June, 22 04:43 21:21

December, 22 08:03 15:53

 For different countries...
Countries Months: Sunrise Sunset
Reykjavik, Iceland June, 22 02:55 00:03
December,22 11:22 15:39
Bangkok, Thailand June, 22 05:51 18:47

December, 22 06:45 18:12

Buenos-Aires, June, 22 08:00 17:50

Argentina
December, 22 05:37 20:06

TromsØ, Norway June, 22 Sun up all day No sunset

December, 22 No sunrise Sun down all day