The Seasons

Flashcards covering key concepts from the lecture on the seasons.

Northern Hemisphere in summer

Tilted toward the Sun, receiving most direct sunlight, longer days, and shorter nights.

Winter Solstice

Occurs around December 21st, marking the shortest day of the year.

Summer Solstice

Occurs around June 21st, marking the longest day of the year.

Equinox

A time when day and night are of equal length, occurring in spring (around March 21) and autumn (around September 22).

Midnight Sun

A phenomenon that occurs in summer when the Sun is visible at midnight due to extreme geographical latitudes.

Southern Hemisphere seasons

Opposite of Northern Hemisphere; while it's summer in the Northern Hemisphere, it's winter in the Southern Hemisphere.

Polar Day

A term for continuous daylight experienced in the Arctic Circle during summer.

Polar Night

A term for continuous darkness experienced in the Arctic Circle during winter.

Direct sunlight vs Indirect sunlight

Direct sunlight is focused and intense, while indirect sunlight is scattered and less intense.

What causes day and night?

Day and night are caused by the rotation of the Earth on its axis.

What causes seasons to change?

Seasons change due to the tilt of the Earth's axis during its orbit around the Sun, affecting sunlight distribution.