Why do the days get so short in winter?

Hook

Why and how do the days get so short in winter? In parts of the U.S., the sun sets before five o'clock. And it's not because Earth is farther from the sun.

Tilt

Earth spins on an axis that's tilted about twenty three and a half degrees. That tilt stays pointed the same direction as we orbit the sun.

Away

In December, the Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the sun. So the sun rises later, sets earlier, and stays lower in the sky.

Angle

Low sunlight hits the ground at a slant. The same amount of light spreads over a bigger area, so it heats less. That's a big reason winter is cold.

South

Meanwhile, the Southern Hemisphere is tilted toward the sun. December is summer in Australia.

Solstice

The shortest day of the year is the winter solstice, around December twenty first. After that, the days slowly start getting longer again.

Myth

And Earth is actually a little closer to the sun in early January than in July. Distance isn't what makes the seasons. The tilt is.

Close

So winter days are short because our half of the planet leans away from the sun. ThatsWhyHow.