2007-02-21 01:27:29 · 8 answers · asked by DOC Holliday 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
The tilt of the Earth changes, due to torques imposed by other bodies in the solar system. The moon tends to stabilize the Earth's tilt, keeping it within a narrow range. The current value is just the value it happens to have at the moment.
2007-02-21 01:46:09 · answer #1 · answered by cosmo 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Hi. There is another way of looking at this. If the Earth were orbiting 23.5 degrees above the current orbital plane then there would be no tilt (or seasons). This may be a clue as to where the material that eventually became Earth came from. Conservation of angular momentum and all.
2007-02-21 01:39:54 · answer #2 · answered by Cirric 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
As far as I know, there is no reason - simply that when the Earth was created/broken off from a huge asteroid it's axis happened to be at the angle. So basically, there's no reason for it to not be tilted at all, if so it would just be by lucky chance.
By the way, the 23.5 degrees is what makes our seasons, so if not for that we would not have seasons.
2007-02-21 01:35:05 · answer #3 · answered by Austen S 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The Earth tilts back and forth during the seasons. Our normal range is from about 22.1 degrees to 25 degrees.
2007-02-21 02:40:05 · answer #4 · answered by chefantwon 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It is likely due to the collision between Earth and another relatively large protoplanet that resulted in the Moon.
2007-02-21 01:52:37 · answer #5 · answered by gebobs 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
All planets (that we know of) are tilted to some degree.
2007-02-21 02:40:05 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
because
2007-02-21 03:03:10 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ask God.
2007-02-21 01:35:49 · answer #8 · answered by jlovett72078 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋