The landscape and weather change greatly during the year in regions that have four distinct seasons.
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Images Courtesy of Corel

The Four Seasons

The Earth travels around the sun one full time per year. During this year, the seasons change depending on the amount of sunlight reaching the surface and the Earth's tilt as it revolves around the sun. Since the Earth's axis points to the same direction all year long, the northern hemisphere is tilted away from the sun in winter, and towards the sun in summer. When it is summer in the northern hemisphere, it is winter in the southern hemisphere.

At the equator, there are no seasons because the sun is always striking and the temperatures remain high there. In general, the summer and winter temperatures get lower the further away from the equator. At the poles, it is either daylight or nig httime for six months at a time depending on the Earth's tilt.


Last modified June 26, 2008 by Vanessa Pearce.

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