Scientific Reasons for Earths Seasons - Essay Example

The sun is at an angle also. In contrast, the sun is lower in the sun when areas are experiencing winter. This means that a beam of sunlight will have to cover more area which means that the earth does not get as hot. Another reason this happens is that as the sun moves across the sky, it moves through the atmosphere and this allows it to be absorbed or reflected as necessary. This will mean that the energy cannot reach the ground to warm it. Seasons are also marked with something called equinoxes and solstices.

There is one in the summer an one in the winter. When people talk about the solstice it is a term that astronomers use to show which way that the Earth is tilting. When the north and south poles are tilted to the furthest point, either toward the sun or away from it, people call it the solstice. This also is the reason why there is a difference between the daytime and nighttime hours. Every June 20 or 21 and every December 21 or 22, there will be a solstice; everyone knows this as the beginning of summer or winter (Page 2009).

The equinoxes are when spring and fall begin. The spring equinox is called the vernal equinox and the fall one is called the autumnal equinox. These two tell us that the seasons are changing again. March 20 or 21 is the official Spring, and September 22 or 23 is the official fall (Page 2009).