Science Common Sense

61 - What causes the seasons to be different?

The seasons change because of the way the Earth moves around the Sun. The Earth is tilted on its side, a little bit like when you lean to one side.

Imagine you're holding a ball (the Earth) and a flashlight (the Sun). If you shine the light straight on the ball, everywhere gets the same amount of light and it's warm.

But if you tilt the ball a bit, one side gets more light than the other. This side gets more warmth and sunlight, making it summer. The other side, which gets less light, is colder and darker, making it winter.

As the Earth moves around the Sun, different parts of it tilt towards or away from the Sun's light, causing the seasons to change. This is why we have spring, summer, autumn (or fall), and winter.