Our seasons change because of 2 main reasons.
First, we revolve around the sun. We are on opposite sides of the sun during winter as we are during summer.
Second, the Earth does not spin "standing up" perfectly, the way it does on a basketball player's fingertip. It's tilted on it's axis (which is an imaginary line).
Look at the diagram above. Notice that the sun "points" to the bottom half of Earth on the left. When Earth is on that side of the sun, it's summer in the southern hemisphere (bottom half of Earth).
Notice on the right that the sun "points" to the top half of Earth. When the Earth is on that side of the sun, it's summer in the northern hemisphere (top half of Earth).
Where ever the sun is not pointing at the time is winter. That's why even though it's almost summer for us in the northern hemisphere, it's almost winter in Australia!
First, we revolve around the sun. We are on opposite sides of the sun during winter as we are during summer.
Second, the Earth does not spin "standing up" perfectly, the way it does on a basketball player's fingertip. It's tilted on it's axis (which is an imaginary line).
Look at the diagram above. Notice that the sun "points" to the bottom half of Earth on the left. When Earth is on that side of the sun, it's summer in the southern hemisphere (bottom half of Earth).
Notice on the right that the sun "points" to the top half of Earth. When the Earth is on that side of the sun, it's summer in the northern hemisphere (top half of Earth).
Where ever the sun is not pointing at the time is winter. That's why even though it's almost summer for us in the northern hemisphere, it's almost winter in Australia!
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