2006-10-27 20:40:40 · 10 answers · asked by Master 176 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Because that's the degree of tilt we ended up at when the ice, rock, and gases slammed into one another because of mutual attraction over millions of years to form the Earth.
2006-10-27 20:44:16 · answer #1 · answered by Telesto 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Some scientists believe that when the Earth was forming(and was still a big molten thing) a giant meteor close to the size of another planet hit it. This sent a big chunk of our planet into space, which formed the moon, and gave the Earth its tilt.
2006-10-28 03:45:36 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
As the earth was formed(Big Bang), it was tilted like this.
Even though the tilt is same there is a very slow shift, this is what is responsible for things like Ice age and Polar cap shifts.
2006-10-28 07:15:21 · answer #3 · answered by minootoo 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
when the Earth was forming a giant meteor close to the size of another planet hit it, so it is tilted to a certain degree.
2006-10-31 12:06:16 · answer #4 · answered by zehnu2000 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
More precisely, the Earth's axis of rotation is tilted 23.5 degrees relative to the plane of its orbit.
There is no why, it just happened to wind up like that. Maybe something to do with a close encounter with a passing object?
Our solar system includes a planet whose axis of rotation is almost parallel to its orbit:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uranus
Tilts similar to Earth's:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neptune
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturn
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars
Tilts almost perpendicular:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jupiter
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venus
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_%28planet%29
2006-10-28 03:50:26 · answer #5 · answered by arbiter007 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i dont think anyone knows why for sure. could be an asteroid hit the earth early in its life and knocked it off balance. another theory is that there have been magnetic shifts in the earths core which caused a wobble. the wobble is called procession and happens in a cycle of something like every 26,000 years
2006-10-28 03:43:42 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Upside down... I like that answer.
But if we had no tilt, then we'd have no seasons at all.
Or if we had a perpendicular tilt, then the seasons would be too violent. In either case, we'd probably not have life on this here planet.
2006-10-28 04:57:08 · answer #7 · answered by deaccumulator 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
because it is slightly tilted at an angle of 23.5 degree
2006-10-28 08:35:48 · answer #8 · answered by HARSH V 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The answers above are all good, but keep in mind that the tilt is a relative thing. We really don't know the direction or position of the universe. We could be upside down for all we know.
2006-10-28 03:51:32 · answer #9 · answered by jasonheavilin 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋
I personally believe it was God who put the tilt so to give us our seasons. The secular among you may disagree.
2006-10-28 03:49:51 · answer #10 · answered by Spadesboffin 3 · 0⤊ 4⤋