Presentation Version
Select here for access to the student version from Virtual Science Teachers website.
What causes the seasons?
Earth's distance from the sun varies.
Earth's Tilt as it revolves around the sun
Earth's wobble
Wobble is NOT to scale... not even close.
Every six to 14 years, the Earth's axis wobbles about 20 to 60 inches (0.5 to 1.5 meters). This wobble does not cause seasons.
Continue
The Earth revolves around the sun once every 365.25 days.
January 4th Earth is closest to the sun.
July 4th Earth is farthest from the sun.
The Earth's orbit is almost a perfect circle. It has a very slight elliptical orbit.
Continue
The Earth's orbit is almost a perfect circle.The very slight elliptical orbit causes Earth to be the farthest from the sun in July and the closest in January.
In the northern hemisphere, the Earth is farther from the sun during summer and closer during winter.
January 4th Earth is closest to the sun.
July 4th Earth is farthest from the sun.
The distance of the Earth from the sun does not cause the seasons.
Continue
The Earth's orbit is almost a perfect circle.The very slight elliptical orbit causes Earth to be the farthest from the sun in July and the closest in January.
The seasons are caused by Earth's tilt as it revolves around the sun.
23.5o
The axis that Earth spins (rotates) around is tilted by about 23.5o.
Continue
Continue
24 hours Sunlight/Day
0 hours Sunlight/Day
The Earth remains tilted in the same direction as it revolves around the sun.
9 hours Sunlight/Day
March 20
Next
May 5
February 1
June 21
December 21
August 7
October 31
24 hours Sunlight/Day
September 22
Click "next" and observe Earth's tilt as it revolves around the sun.
Continue
24 hours Sunlight/Day
0 hours Sunlight/Day
The Earth remains tilted in the same direction as it revolves around the sun.
9 hours Sunlight/Day
March 20
Next
May 5
February 1
June 21
December 21
Continue
August 7
October 31
24 hours Sunlight/Day
September 22
Click "next" and observe Earth's tilt as it revolves around the sun.
The sun is more concentrated near the equator and less concentrated (spread out over a greater area) near the poles.
Radiant energy is spread out over a larger area when it hits close to the North Pole.
Radiant energy is concentrated over a smaller area when it hits close to the equator.
Radiant energy is spread out over a larger area when it hits close to the South Pole.
Continue
Radiant energy is spread out over a larger area when it hits close to the North Pole.
June 21
December 21
24 hours Sunlight/Day
0 hours Sunlight/Day
9 hours Sunlight/Day
15 hours Sunlight/Day
12 hours Sunlight/Day All Year
15 hours Sunlight/Day
9 hours Sunlight/Day
0 hours Sunlight/Day
24 hours Sunlight/Day
Radiant energy is spread out over a larger area when it hits close to the North Pole.
Between
March 20
24 hours Sunlight/Day
0 hours Sunlight/Day
9 hours Sunlight/Day
15 hours Sunlight/Day
December 21
June 21
12 hours Sunlight/Day All Year
9 hours Sunlight/Day
15 hours Sunlight/Day
24 hours Sunlight/Day
0 hours Sunlight/Day
September 22
9 hours Sunlight/Day
12 hours Sunlight/Day All Year
Radiant energy is spread out over a larger area when it hits close to the North Pole.
15 hours Sunlight/Day
0 hours Sunlight/Day
15 hours Sunlight/Day
Between
0 hours Sunlight/Day
9 hours Sunlight/Day
24 hours Sunlight/Day
March 20
December 21
June 21
September 22
Click "next" to see how Earth's tilt causes seasons.
- Neither the northern nor southern hemispheres are tilted towards the sun.
- Everywhere on Earth gets about 12 hours of sunlight a day.
- First day of spring for the northern hemisphere
- First day of fall for the southern hemisphere
March 20 Equinox
Next
24 hours Sunlight/Day
0 hours Sunlight/Day
15 hours Sunlight/Day
June 21 Solstice
12 hours Sunlight/Day
- Tilts away from the sun more than any other day of the year
- Shortest (least sunlight) day of the year
- First day of winter
Southern Hemisphere
- Tilts toward the sun more than any other day of the year
- Longest (most sunlight) day of the year
- First day of summer
Northern Hemisphere
9 hours Sunlight/Day
12 hours Sunlight/Day
24 hours Sunlight/Day
0 hours Sunlight/Day
- Tilts toward the sun more than any other day of the year
- Longest (most sunlight) day of the year
- First day of summer
Southern Hemisphere
- Tilts away from the sun more than any other day of the year
- Shortest (least sunlight) day of the year
- First day of winter
Northern Hemisphere
December 21 Solstice
9 hours Sunlight/Day
15 hours Sunlight/Day
December 21
- Neither the northern nor southern hemispheres are tilted towards the sun.
- Everywhere on Earth gets about 12 hours of sunlight a day.
- First day of fall for the northern hemisphere
- First day of spring for the southern hemisphere
September 22 Equinox
Continue
Radiant energy is spread out over a larger area when it hits close to the North Pole.
15 hours Sunlight/Day
Between
24 hours Sunlight/Day
0 hours Sunlight/Day
9 hours Sunlight/Day
December 21
12 hours Sunlight/Day
15 hours Sunlight/Day
24 hours Sunlight/Day
Radiant energy is spread out over a larger area when it hits close to the North Pole.
Between
Durining the June 21 solstice, the northern hemisphere is tilted the most towards the sun and the souther hemisphere is tilted the most away from the sun.
24 hours Sunlight/Day
15 hours Sunlight/Day
June 21
12 hours Sunlight/Day
9 hours Sunlight/Day
0 hours Sunlight/Day
This the longest day (most daylight in 24 hours) for the northern hemisphere and the shortest day (least daylight in 24 hours) for the southern hemisphere.
Radiant energy is spread out over a larger area when it hits close to the North Pole.
Between
March 20
Neither Northern nor Southern Hemispheres are pointing towards the sun.
Northern Hemisphere is pointing toward the sun.
December 21
June 21
Southern Hemisphere is pointing toward the sun.
Neither Northern nor Southern Hemispheres are pointing towards the sun.
September 22
The sun always illuminates half of the moon, except during a rare lunar eclipse.
Click the "Next Phase" button. To continue, click on the moon position that causes us to see a full moon.
Except during lunar eclipses (which are rare), half of the moon always reflects sunlight.
Click "Next Phase" to see how we view the phases of the moon from the Northern Hemisphere
Next Phase
New Moon
Waxing Gibbous
Waxing Crescent
First Quarter
Waning Crescent
Waning Gibbous
Full Moon
Last Quarter
The portion of the illuminated half that we can see from Earth depends on the position of the moon and Earth relative to the sun.
Continue
Not to scale...not even close
Copyright 2022 Virtual Science Teachers www.virtualscienceteachers.com
To continue, click on the moon position that causes us to see a full moon.
What causes the seasons?
Earth's Tilt as it revolves around the sun
Earth's distance from the sun varies.
Earth's wobble
Yes! Earth's tilt as it revolves around the sun causes the seasons.
Click here for signature page.
Earth's Tilt as it revolves around the sun
Earth's distance from the sun varies.
Earth's wobble
Earth's tilt as it revolves around the sun causes the seasons.
This feature is disabled in the teacher presentation.
Teacher Presentation: Seasons
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Transcript
Presentation Version
Select here for access to the student version from Virtual Science Teachers website.
What causes the seasons?
Earth's distance from the sun varies.
Earth's Tilt as it revolves around the sun
Earth's wobble
Wobble is NOT to scale... not even close.
Every six to 14 years, the Earth's axis wobbles about 20 to 60 inches (0.5 to 1.5 meters). This wobble does not cause seasons.
Continue
The Earth revolves around the sun once every 365.25 days.
January 4th Earth is closest to the sun.
July 4th Earth is farthest from the sun.
The Earth's orbit is almost a perfect circle. It has a very slight elliptical orbit.
Continue
The Earth's orbit is almost a perfect circle.The very slight elliptical orbit causes Earth to be the farthest from the sun in July and the closest in January.
In the northern hemisphere, the Earth is farther from the sun during summer and closer during winter.
January 4th Earth is closest to the sun.
July 4th Earth is farthest from the sun.
The distance of the Earth from the sun does not cause the seasons.
Continue
The Earth's orbit is almost a perfect circle.The very slight elliptical orbit causes Earth to be the farthest from the sun in July and the closest in January.
The seasons are caused by Earth's tilt as it revolves around the sun.
23.5o
The axis that Earth spins (rotates) around is tilted by about 23.5o.
Continue
Continue
24 hours Sunlight/Day
0 hours Sunlight/Day
The Earth remains tilted in the same direction as it revolves around the sun.
9 hours Sunlight/Day
March 20
Next
May 5
February 1
June 21
December 21
August 7
October 31
24 hours Sunlight/Day
September 22
Click "next" and observe Earth's tilt as it revolves around the sun.
Continue
24 hours Sunlight/Day
0 hours Sunlight/Day
The Earth remains tilted in the same direction as it revolves around the sun.
9 hours Sunlight/Day
March 20
Next
May 5
February 1
June 21
December 21
Continue
August 7
October 31
24 hours Sunlight/Day
September 22
Click "next" and observe Earth's tilt as it revolves around the sun.
The sun is more concentrated near the equator and less concentrated (spread out over a greater area) near the poles.
Radiant energy is spread out over a larger area when it hits close to the North Pole.
Radiant energy is concentrated over a smaller area when it hits close to the equator.
Radiant energy is spread out over a larger area when it hits close to the South Pole.
Continue
Radiant energy is spread out over a larger area when it hits close to the North Pole.
June 21
December 21
24 hours Sunlight/Day
0 hours Sunlight/Day
9 hours Sunlight/Day
15 hours Sunlight/Day
12 hours Sunlight/Day All Year
15 hours Sunlight/Day
9 hours Sunlight/Day
0 hours Sunlight/Day
24 hours Sunlight/Day
Radiant energy is spread out over a larger area when it hits close to the North Pole.
Between
March 20
24 hours Sunlight/Day
0 hours Sunlight/Day
9 hours Sunlight/Day
15 hours Sunlight/Day
December 21
June 21
12 hours Sunlight/Day All Year
9 hours Sunlight/Day
15 hours Sunlight/Day
24 hours Sunlight/Day
0 hours Sunlight/Day
September 22
9 hours Sunlight/Day
12 hours Sunlight/Day All Year
Radiant energy is spread out over a larger area when it hits close to the North Pole.
15 hours Sunlight/Day
0 hours Sunlight/Day
15 hours Sunlight/Day
Between
0 hours Sunlight/Day
9 hours Sunlight/Day
24 hours Sunlight/Day
March 20
December 21
June 21
September 22
Click "next" to see how Earth's tilt causes seasons.
March 20 Equinox
Next
24 hours Sunlight/Day
0 hours Sunlight/Day
15 hours Sunlight/Day
June 21 Solstice
12 hours Sunlight/Day
Southern Hemisphere
Northern Hemisphere
9 hours Sunlight/Day
12 hours Sunlight/Day
24 hours Sunlight/Day
0 hours Sunlight/Day
Southern Hemisphere
Northern Hemisphere
December 21 Solstice
9 hours Sunlight/Day
15 hours Sunlight/Day
December 21
September 22 Equinox
Continue
Radiant energy is spread out over a larger area when it hits close to the North Pole.
15 hours Sunlight/Day
Between
24 hours Sunlight/Day
0 hours Sunlight/Day
9 hours Sunlight/Day
December 21
12 hours Sunlight/Day
15 hours Sunlight/Day
24 hours Sunlight/Day
Radiant energy is spread out over a larger area when it hits close to the North Pole.
Between
Durining the June 21 solstice, the northern hemisphere is tilted the most towards the sun and the souther hemisphere is tilted the most away from the sun.
24 hours Sunlight/Day
15 hours Sunlight/Day
June 21
12 hours Sunlight/Day
9 hours Sunlight/Day
0 hours Sunlight/Day
This the longest day (most daylight in 24 hours) for the northern hemisphere and the shortest day (least daylight in 24 hours) for the southern hemisphere.
Radiant energy is spread out over a larger area when it hits close to the North Pole.
Between
March 20
Neither Northern nor Southern Hemispheres are pointing towards the sun.
Northern Hemisphere is pointing toward the sun.
December 21
June 21
Southern Hemisphere is pointing toward the sun.
Neither Northern nor Southern Hemispheres are pointing towards the sun.
September 22
The sun always illuminates half of the moon, except during a rare lunar eclipse.
Click the "Next Phase" button. To continue, click on the moon position that causes us to see a full moon.
Except during lunar eclipses (which are rare), half of the moon always reflects sunlight.
Click "Next Phase" to see how we view the phases of the moon from the Northern Hemisphere
Next Phase
New Moon
Waxing Gibbous
Waxing Crescent
First Quarter
Waning Crescent
Waning Gibbous
Full Moon
Last Quarter
The portion of the illuminated half that we can see from Earth depends on the position of the moon and Earth relative to the sun.
Continue
Not to scale...not even close
Copyright 2022 Virtual Science Teachers www.virtualscienceteachers.com
To continue, click on the moon position that causes us to see a full moon.
What causes the seasons?
Earth's Tilt as it revolves around the sun
Earth's distance from the sun varies.
Earth's wobble
Yes! Earth's tilt as it revolves around the sun causes the seasons.
Click here for signature page.
Earth's Tilt as it revolves around the sun
Earth's distance from the sun varies.
Earth's wobble
Earth's tilt as it revolves around the sun causes the seasons.
This feature is disabled in the teacher presentation.