• Question: Why do we have different seasons?

    Asked by ConnorM to Heather, Helen, Hugh, Jane, Julian on 14 Nov 2014. This question was also asked by Eli H, CharlotteW, Izzyb, mad.melissa.
    • Photo: Julian Onions

      Julian Onions answered on 14 Nov 2014:

      Its the way the earth is tilted slightly. This means the northern hemisphere is pointed towards the sun in the summer, so the light and heat has less atmosphere to travel through and the days are longer. In the winter we have shorter days, and colder, so that’s why we have winter.
      The Earth is actually nearest to the Sun in the January, which shows that it is not distance that gives us the seasons!

    • Photo: Helen Johnson

      Helen Johnson answered on 15 Nov 2014:

      Julian’s explanation is great. Just to add, one of my favourite things about the solar system is that Uranus rotates completely on its side – rolling like a bowling ball instead of twirling like a ballerina – around the Sun. This results in really weird seasons that are 21 years long! Sometimes half of the planet will be in constant sunlight/darkness. I think the diagram here shows what I mean really well… http://www.enchantedlearning.com/ugifs/Uranusseasons.GIF

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