Two movements shape our days and seasons. The Earth spins on its axis (rotation), giving us day and night, and travels around the Sun (revolution), which together with the tilt of its axis gives us the seasons.
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Why We Have Days and Seasons
Rotation and Revolution
- Rotation is the movement of the Earth on its own axis; it takes about 24 hours and causes day and night. NCERT 6
- Revolution is the movement of the Earth around the Sun in a fixed path or orbit, taking about 365¼ days (a leap year has 366). NCERT 6
- The axis of the Earth makes an angle of 66½° with its orbital plane. NCERT 6
- Day and night come from rotation, while the seasons come from revolution together with the fixed tilt of the axis. NCERT 6
- The circle dividing day from night on the globe is the circle of illumination. NCERT 6
Solstices and Equinoxes
- On 21 June (Summer Solstice) the Northern Hemisphere is tilted toward the Sun and direct rays fall on the Tropic of Cancer, giving the longest day in the north. NCERT 6
- On 22 December (Winter Solstice) direct rays fall on the Tropic of Capricorn, reversing the seasons. NCERT 6
- On 21 March and 23 September (equinoxes) direct rays fall on the equator and the whole Earth has equal day and night. NCERT 6
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