how does the position of the earth determine wheather a day is one of he solstice or equinox days?

Question

scratch that he i meant the

Answer 1

The day on which the North Pole is closest to the sun is the Summer Solstice. The day on which the North Pole is furthest from the sun is the Winter Solstice. The day exactly halfway between the Summer Solstice and the Winter Solstice is the Autumnal Equinox (first day of Fall), and the day exactly halfway between the Winter Solstice and the Summer Solstice is the Vernal Equinox (First day of Spring).

All this is much easier to understand with a couple of simple diagrams. Try an internet search on "solstices" or "equinoxes" or "earth's orbit."

Answer 2

Earth's rotational axis is tilted 23.5 degrees to the plane of its orbit. That tilt points the same way in space all year, toward the star Polaris. When the Earth is on one side of the Sun, the north pole is tilted toward the Sun. The day when the tilt is most directly toward the Sun is the Summer solstice (in the northern hemisphere). Half way around the orbit, the Sun is on the other side and the north pole is tilted most directly away from the Sun and that is the winter solstice, in the northern hemisphere. In between the tilt is parallel to the Sun, pointing along the direction of the orbit. Those times are equinoxes.

Answer 3

It has to do with the position of the Sun and the Earth. The Earth sits on a titled axis, so that the north pole is actually 10 to 15 decrees off up and down. So the earth sits so that the northern hemisphere is closer to the sun certain months of the year and father from the sun certain months of the year. Similarly the southern hemisphere is just opposite us in the north. Now the earth does not rotate around the Sun on a flat axis or plane either. It actually goes in an orbit that is somewhat off kilter to all the other planets. Well the long and short of the answer is that two times a year the position of the sun and earth is just so that we have equal hours of sunlight and darkness. We have two days when there are more hours of darkness and or light. So as the Earth spins on its axis and then rotates around the Sun, we have four seasons in some places and these four days of either equal time of night and day or getting longer days to a point and shorter days to a point. It is so mathmatical we can chart in on calendars and predict it every year. It only varies by a few hours each year because in reality we have just a few more days (365) in the true rounding of the Sun. Thats why we have to add an extra day (Feb. 29th) each year and one extra day (Feb. 30) every century. For those of us who remember, it was great fun having a Feb. 30th in 2000. Those born on that day will never have a true birthday anniversary as they will never have another Feb. 30th in their life.