Sun and Calendar · 1 of 9
Why We Have Seasons
Why are there seasons, if Earth is nearest the Sun in January?
Earth is nearest the Sun in the northern winter. The seasons come from its tilted axis: how high your Sun climbs at noon, and how long it stays up.
You’ll be able to explain why the seasons come from Earth’s tilt and not its distance from the Sun.
Where and which day
Working out the Sun’s day from where you are…
Where
Kept for this guide only, until you change it here — your map settings, and every other guide, stay as they are.
Print, play outside or present
Scan with a phone's camera, or open
Sources
- US Naval Observatory — Earth's seasons and apsides: the solstices, and perihelion in early January
- JPL Horizons — the Sun's distance at the 2026 solstices and apsides, which the chart is tested against
- Meeus, Astronomical Algorithms, 2nd ed. (1998), ch. 22 and 25 — the obliquity, and the Sun's position and distance this page computes
With a keyboard, focus the sky, aim it with the up and down arrow keys, and press Enter to drop the pin at the centre of the view; or press Show me.