4 ms·

It's caused by tilt/angle of Earth, correct?

awad 17y ago
yes, since we're on a tilt the two hemispheres get their summer and winter during opposite seasons when their respective hemisphere is 'facing' the sun while the equator pretty much always gets the same amount of sun
- stcredzero 17y ago
  One of the things that happens in the film clip, is that a professorial gentleman gives the "orbit is closer" answer, then is asked what season it is in the Southern hemisphere when it's Summer in the Northern one.
tokenadult 17y ago
It's caused by tilt/angle of Earth, correct? Yes. My second-grade teacher made sure her class knew this. A year or two later I learned that the earth is closer to the sun (at perihelion) when the SOUTHERN Hemisphere is having its summer, and the Northern Hemisphere is having its winter.
- nazgulnarsil 17y ago
  which is why the northern hemisphere has a slightly milder climate.
  - DannoHung 17y ago
    Huh, is this actually true? I had been under the impression that the orbital difference was insignificant from a climate standpoint.
    - nazgulnarsil 17y ago
      there are actually several things at play, eccentricity, precession, and obliquity. the net result is that the north gets milder winters and cooler summers.
      - tokenadult 17y ago
        the northern hemisphere has significantly larger temperature variation than the southern the net result is that the north gets milder winters and cooler summers One of these statements appears to disagree with the other. If I remember correctly what I've read, the proportion of land rather than ocean in each hemisphere plays a major role in climate, as mentioned by the reply saying that the Northern Hemisphere has more variation in temperature.
  - billswift 17y ago
    I just checked my atlas - I remembered correctly - the northern hemisphere has significantly larger temperature variation than the southern. It's probably the difference in land versus water areas more than offsetting the tiny effects of solar distance.

awad 17y ago

yes, since we're on a tilt the two hemispheres get their summer and winter during opposite seasons when their respective hemisphere is 'facing' the sun while the equator pretty much always gets the same amount of sun

stcredzero 17y ago
One of the things that happens in the film clip, is that a professorial gentleman gives the "orbit is closer" answer, then is asked what season it is in the Southern hemisphere when it's Summer in the Northern one.

tokenadult 17y ago

It's caused by tilt/angle of Earth, correct? Yes. My second-grade teacher made sure her class knew this. A year or two later I learned that the earth is closer to the sun (at perihelion) when the SOUTHERN Hemisphere is having its summer, and the Northern Hemisphere is having its winter.

nazgulnarsil 17y ago
which is why the northern hemisphere has a slightly milder climate.
- DannoHung 17y ago
  Huh, is this actually true? I had been under the impression that the orbital difference was insignificant from a climate standpoint.
  - nazgulnarsil 17y ago
    there are actually several things at play, eccentricity, precession, and obliquity. the net result is that the north gets milder winters and cooler summers.
    - tokenadult 17y ago
      the northern hemisphere has significantly larger temperature variation than the southern the net result is that the north gets milder winters and cooler summers One of these statements appears to disagree with the other. If I remember correctly what I've read, the proportion of land rather than ocean in each hemisphere plays a major role in climate, as mentioned by the reply saying that the Northern Hemisphere has more variation in temperature.
- billswift 17y ago
  I just checked my atlas - I remembered correctly - the northern hemisphere has significantly larger temperature variation than the southern. It's probably the difference in land versus water areas more than offsetting the tiny effects of solar distance.