On July 3, 2025, at 3:54 pm ET, the Earth will officially reach its furthest point from the Sun for this year. This is called ...

During different points of Earth's orbit, different parts of the planet are tilted toward or away from the Sun (because of that 23.5 degree tilt), leading to variations in how much sunlight they get.

Because Earth moves in an elliptical orbit around the sun, being further away means it travels slower along its orbit. This ...

Earth has four seasons due to its 23.5-degree tilt and the shape of its orbit around the sun. But do other planets have seasonal patterns too? (Image credit: ANDRZEJ WOJCICKI/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY ...

The first day of autumn, caused by the fall equinox, happens on Sunday, September 22, 2024. The equinox happens when the sun's rays square up with Earth so the day is about as long as night. From ...

Here's what to know about the upcoming 2025 summer solstice this week and when it last fell on June 22 — the rarest date for ...

Earth, sun, moon: three objects in space whose interactions have a pretty big impact on our lives. ... This gives us the night-day sequence and the yearly cycle of the seasons.

Meteorological spring starts on March 1 and is based on annual temperature cycles, while astronomical spring starts on March 20 and is based on the Earth's position relative to the sun.

At aphelion, Earth’s distance from the sun is about 94.5 million miles. Six months later, at the start of January in the winter, Earth is at its closest point to the sun at 91.5 million miles ...

“Astronomical seasons are based on the position of the Earth in relation to the sun, whereas meteorological seasons are based on the annual temperature cycle,” NOAA says. “The Earth’s ...

For those north of the equator, the solstice marks the longest day and the shortest night of the year. The Earth spins on a ...