Launching into space...
SUMMER
Northern Hemisphere
Paused
23.5°
Earth's Tilt
🌍 Why Do We Have Seasons?

Seasons aren't caused by how close Earth is to the Sun! The secret is Earth's 23.5° tilt.

As Earth orbits, different hemispheres tilt toward the Sun. When the North tilts sunward = Northern summer (and Southern winter). Six months later, it flips!

Direct sunlight concentrates energy in a small area = hot! Angled sunlight spreads the same energy over more area = cooler. It's like a flashlight: shine it straight down vs. at an angle.

🤯 Mind-blowing

Earth is actually 3 million miles CLOSER to the Sun in Northern winter! But 3 million out of 93 million is tiny (3%). The angle of sunlight matters far more than distance.

☀️ 3D Ray Visualization

Toggle "Show Sun Rays" in Controls to see sunlight beams and how they hit Earth's surface differently based on the tilt.

Direct (hot)
Angled (cool)
🎮 Controls
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