2006-09-13 23:22:37 · 17 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Earth Sciences & Geology
The sun's temperature and brightness does change often, but it has nothing to do with our seasons. We are actually CLOSEST to the sun around January 4th, contrary to some of the other answers you'll see here. We are farthest from the sun near July 4th, just after the first day of summer. The temperature and brightness variations in the sun are almost unnoticable to us because we are so far away. The reasons for a cold winter are as follows...
The reason things cool down in winter is because the north pole gets less and less sunlight as we get closer to winter. If you were standing on the north pole, you would see the sun for 6 months straight starting near March 21st. There would be no night at all! Then near September 21st, you would not see the sun for another 6 months (until the next March 21st). 6 months of night! Without the sun, things cool down quite a bit up there, and that cold air moves south to give us the familiar "artic blasts" which make winter so chilly.
Everyone who explained about the angle of the sun is exactly right too. Combine the two effects of the sun's angle, and the shorter amounts of time the sun is available to heat up the air, and bingo...winter time.
Peace
2006-09-14 00:24:04 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
The sun is not colder in the winter. The angle at which the sun's energy is hitting a particular part of the Earth is less direct and therefore the heat is spread out over a larger area. Each area does not get as much.
As the Earth orbits the sun, the tilted axis on which it spins causes different parts of the world to experience the seasons. If there was no tilt, your weather would never change much.
2006-09-13 23:27:25 · answer #2 · answered by fucose_man 5 · 5⤊ 0⤋
I think the questioner is young so:
The sun does vary in it's output, which is increasing gradually since the mini ice-age.
As already stated the Earth is at perihelion (nearest the sun) around July 3rd, and at Aphelion (furthest from sun) around January 4th.
The cause of the seasons is the 23½ degree tilt of the Earth's axis, this varies the amount of time radiation falls on various parts of the Earth. You may have noticed the days are longer in Summer and shorter in Winter, the extremes being at the solstices 21st June and 21st December.
The longer heat falls on the surface the more that is collected and retained.
Northern and Southern hemispheres have opposing seasons. So for instance New Zealand and UK are at opposite points in their seasons.
Blame the tilt of the Earth, not the sun.
2006-09-15 22:41:41 · answer #3 · answered by Tropic-of-Cancer 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In the winter you are further from the Sun (due to the fact that the Earth's axis is not perpendicular to it's orbit around the sun). As you are further from the Sun, less of the Sun's energy reaches you, and so it feels colder. (If you don't believe that, try switching a light on, and then holding your hand at different distances from it.)
2006-09-14 02:17:33 · answer #4 · answered by Steve-Bob 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It's not. It's a simple phenomena whereby the angle at which the sun shines in winter means the sunlight is spread over a larger area. It also means that the atmosphere which the sun will have to penetrate before reaching the earth's surface is thicker. So, we feel less of the sun's effects.
2006-09-13 23:57:16 · answer #5 · answered by T Delfino 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The sun emits pretty much the same amount of energy year round . The orbit of the Earth is egg shaped . The Earth also rotates on it's axis . In the winter we are farther out in our orbit around the sun and the sunlight hits the Earth hits at an angle , which causes more of it to reflect back into space .
2006-09-14 09:02:37 · answer #6 · answered by rocknrod04 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The sun does not orbit the Earth in a circular motion, more of an ellipse or egg shape. At the furthest end of the ellipse it is colder, hence winter. The shorter end of the ellipse we get summer because it is closer.
2006-09-14 04:41:25 · answer #7 · answered by Old Man of Coniston!. 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The Sun has seen a huge rise in it's energy prices ,and being on a pension it can't afford the cost of full heat in the winter. Shame really.
2006-09-15 14:29:32 · answer #8 · answered by Tracker 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's not the sun, but the earth is, but only in the Northern Hemisphere. In the Southern Hemisphere, it is summer. It has to deal with the tilt of the earth's axis relative to the sun.
2006-09-14 10:53:57 · answer #9 · answered by Steve R 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's not!!
1 - We are further away because the earth tilts and orbits elliptically
2 - The temperature drop allows colder weather to encroach. Thereby making it appear that the sun is colder.
2006-09-13 23:26:10 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋