Changing Seasons

This is not about global warming or depletion of the ozone. It’s about the seasons: winter, spring, summer and fall; and why there are no seasons in some places. The Philippines for example, refers to the seasons only as wet and dry, or rainy and summer; which is really about having more rain (rainy season) or more sun (summer - in April, May, June) in a given period of time. There are no falling leaves, or snowy days, or new growth in spring. Places close to the equator have this type of climate. Further north (France for example) or further south have the seasons. But what’s causing the seasons to change? 23.5 degrees, that’s the answer.

Relative to the sun, the earth is tilted at a 23.5 degree angle as it rotates unto itself. This tilting has a dramatic effect on the amount of sunlight reaching the earth as it revolves around the sun. When sunlight hits the equator directly, there will be equal hours of day and night. This happens during an equinox, which literally means equal night. In a given year, there are two equinoxes: one in March (Vernal), the other in September (Autumnal). 

Vernal equinox heralds spring. At this time, night and day are equal in duration, but days get longer as we move toward summer. The longest day happens during the Summer Solstice (June 21). After that, days get shorter as we move toward the Autumnal equinox when day and night are equally long again. After the Autumnal equinox, days get shorter and the nights get longer. The longest night happens during the Winter Solstice (December 22). After that, nights get shorter until it’s equal in duration again with day during the Vernal equinox. And the cycle repeats itself. And as long as the 23.5 degree tilt is kept, the behavior of the seasons will more or less remain the same.

Wherever you want to go in the world include the seasons in your travel itinerary; it spices up the experience, and sometimes, the whole experience itself revolves around it: Sweden has the Ice Hotel built around winter and holds itself together for the duration of the season before it thaws in spring; one of Japan’s best-loved travel destinations is visited in springtime – the Cherry Blossoms; beach destinations are booked in summer, and fall is best traveled by those who prefer cooler temperatures and striking colors.

23.5 degrees. The tilt - it built the seasons.
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