What is an axial tilt?

Heavenly objects in orbit, such as planet Earth, move in two ways: revolution and rotation. The first refers to the elliptical movement of the satellite around his superior body, in this case the sun; It refers to a circular movement of the body around the central axis as it spins. The axis of rotation often creates a inclined, non -surrendicular angle from the orbital plane. This phenomenon, known as axial tilt or obliqueness, has deep effects on the conditions on the planet.

The axial tilt of the Earth is currently 23.5 degrees and is between 22 and 24.5 degrees for 41,000 years. In relation to the orbital plane, also known as ecliptic, the North and South heavenly poles move slowly, causing the planet almost always lean in the same direction due to the solar system as a whole. As Earth revolves around the Sun, the distribution of sunlight and vary through the planet; The northern and southern hemisphere gain only the same amount of light during the spring and autumn equinoxes. When the northern hemisphere is in favor of directionM to the sun, people in this part of the world pass through the summer season, while the southern hemisphere is cold. On the opposite side of the orbit, the southern hemisphere is leaning towards the sun and experiencing the summer period; The northern hemisphere leans away and has a cold

One of the indicators of seasonal shift is the variable ratio of the day to the night throughout the year, controlled by the axial tilt of the Earth. The side of the Earth heading towards the Sun at any given moment is experiencing a day. When the northern hemisphere is heading towards the sun, the latitude north of the equator will have more areas on the day side of the planet, it will cause longer days and the southern hemisphere is experiencing shorter days. Increases this distance further from the equator; The Arctic Circle located on 66 Degrees North indicates a point where the entire rotation is on the day or night side of the sun, referred to as the summer and winter solstice, where the day or night lasts for 24 hours. It takes six months on the Poles.

ScientistsThey did not discover the cause of the axial tilt of the Earth, but presented several main theories. The prevailing theory is that the large celestial body collided with the ground at the beginning of his life and caused tilt in the axis. Another theory is the chaotic distribution of dust in the formation of the solar system, which is responsible for each planet with a different axial tilt.