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The Earth's orbit varies between nearly circular and mildly elliptical (its eccentricity varies). When the orbit is more elongated, there is more variation in the distance between the Earth and the Sun, and in the amount of solar radiation, at different times in the year.
At the poles (90° latitude), on the equinoxes and during polar night, the sun angle is always 0° or less no matter the axial tilt, while on the summer solstice, the maximum angle is equal to the tilt. Therefore, greater tilt means a higher maximum for the same minimum: more total annual surface insolation at the poles.
Orbital forcing is the effect on climate of slow changes in the tilt of the Earth's axis and shape of the Earth's orbit around the Sun (see Milankovitch cycles).These orbital changes modify the total amount of sunlight reaching the Earth by up to 25% at mid-latitudes (from 400 to 500 W/(m 2) at latitudes of 60 degrees).
The Earth's tilt is the reason for the seasons, stated NASA. So spring, summer, winter and fall would not exist without it. "Throughout the year, different parts of Earth receive the Sun's most ...
Astronomical winter always starts on the solstice, which falls between Dec. 20 and Dec. 22. These dates vary from year to year due to leap years and the elliptical shape of Earth's orbit around ...
The Earth's weather is a consequence of its illumination by the Sun and the laws of thermodynamics. The atmospheric circulation can be viewed as a heat engine driven by the Sun's energy and whose energy sink, ultimately, is the blackness of space. The work produced by that engine causes the motion of the masses of air, and in that process it ...
Solar radiation has a lower intensity in polar regions because the angle at which it hits the earth is not as direct as at the equator. Another effect is that sunlight has to go through more atmosphere to reach the ground. [1] The polar climate regions are characterized by a lack of warm summers but with varying winters. Every month a polar ...
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