Why Earth Has Seasons — Tilt & Orbit Simulator

Your location

Country City

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Times are local solar time from your longitude — no time-zone or daylight-saving offset. Solar noon is when the Sun is truly highest.

147.1M km
perihelion152.1M km
aphelion

Orbit view

Sun Your city Sub-solar point (Sun overhead) Equator Tropics Polar circles

drag to orbit · scroll to zoom · right-drag to pan

this date June solstice December solstice equinox

The Sun traces a flatter, shorter arc in winter — less time above the horizon and a lower angle. Both cut the heat.

Hours of daylight through the year at your city.

Height of the Sun at solar noon. Flat sunlight spreads the same energy over more ground.

Earth’s distance from the Sun. Note how small the swing is — and that its minimum sits in January.