The Four Seasons



The landscape and weather change greatly during the year in regions that have four distinct seasons.
Images Courtesy of Corel. Click on image for full size version (161 KB JPEG)

It takes the Earth one year to travel around the sun one time. During this year, there are four seasons: summer, autumn, winter, and spring. Each season depends on the amount of sunlight reaching the surface and the Earth's tilt as it revolves around the sun.

When it is summer in the northern hemisphere, it is winter in the southern hemisphere. At the equator, there are no seasons because the sun is always striking there.



IMAGEMAP

The Four Seasons



The landscape and weather change greatly during the year in regions that have four distinct seasons.
Images Courtesy of Corel. Click on image for full size version (161 KB JPEG)

The Earth travels around the sun one full time per year. During this year, the seasons change depending on the amount of sunlight reaching the surface and the Earth's tilt as it revolves around the sun. Summer occurs when a hemisphere is tilted towards the sun, and winter occurs when a hemisphere is tilted away from the sun.

When it is summer in the northern hemisphere, it is winter in the southern hemisphere. At the equator, there are no seasons because the sun is always striking and the temperatures remain high there. In general, the summer and winter temperatures get low er the further away from the equator.



IMAGEMAP

The Four Seasons



The landscape and weather change greatly during the year in regions that have four distinct seasons.
Images Courtesy of Corel. Click on image for full size version (161 KB JPEG)

The Earth travels around the sun one full time per year. During this year, the seasons change depending on the amount of sunlight reaching the surface and the Earth's tilt as it revolves around the sun. Since the Earth's axis points to the same direction all year long, the northern hemisphere is tilted away from the sun in winter, and towards the sun in summer. When it is summer in the northern hemisphere, it is winter in the southern hemisphere.

At the equator, there are no seasons because the sun is always striking and the temperatures remain high there. In general, the summer and winter temperatures get lower the further away from the equator. At the poles, it is either daylight or nig httime for six months at a time depending on the Earth's tilt.



IMAGEMAP

[text link descriptor] [Images link descriptor]
[HOME] [SEARCH] [INDEX] [HELP] [ARTS] [MYTH]
[NEWS] [SCIENCE] [EARTH] [SYSTEM]
[SPACE] [FORCES] [COOL] [BOOKS]
[PEOPLE] [HISTORY]



Last modified June 26, 2008 by Vanessa Pearce.
The source of this material is Windows to the Universe, at http://www.windows.ucar.edu/ at the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR). © The Regents of the University of Michigan. Windows to the Universe® is a registered trademark of UCAR. All Rights Reserved. Site policies and disclaimer