Why is the sun cold in winter?

Arabia Weather - When winter comes, many wonder about the secret of the extreme cold that surrounds us, and how the sun can appear in the winter sky and remain cold, while it comes in the summer with its warm and bright rays.

The secret of this natural phenomenon lies in a very precise mystery, linked to the movement of the Earth around the sun, which constitutes an integral part of the balance of the universe. In this article, we will explore the secret of this distinctive phenomenon, and reveal how the Earth’s tilt and its different locations during the winter affect degrees. Sunlight heat.

The temperature of the sun remains constant throughout the year, as it is a ball of fire interspersed with nuclear reactions, which makes its surface always hot. The high temperature of the sun causes the release of huge amounts of radiation in all directions and because of the sun’s release of light rays in the visible spectrum, it also includes infrared rays. Infrared and ultraviolet radiation travels through the solar system, and because of the way the momentum of light waves carries energy, it heats anything it comes into contact with.

If the Sun's temperature is constant throughout the year, how can the cold weather in winter (especially in the Northern Hemisphere) be explained? This can be explained by understanding the composition and position of the Earth itself rather than any direct influence of the Sun.

Why is the sun cold in winter?

Answer: The Earth is characterized by colder areas in winter. Because of the tilt resulting from its axis, this tilt means that sunlight spreads over a larger area in winter (in cold areas) , and the greater the spread of light, the colder it gets in those areas. The Earth is farther from the sun in winter thanks to its tilt, but since this difference in distance Although it is not overtly large, the Earth's tilt remains the main factor in changing the climate in winter.

If we draw the Earth's orbit around the sun during the year, we will find that it appears completely circular. However, a change occurs when the Earth goes through summer in the Northern Hemisphere, and although the change in distance is small (in terms of space distances) , it cannot be seen by the naked eye. You notice these changes.

The tilt we are talking about is an inclination of 23 degrees relative to the straight line. The axis, the line that extends from the North Pole to the South Pole, is tilted 23 degrees away from the Earth's orbit around the sun. Therefore, winter in the Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the sun.

The phrase "low winter sun" is a result of this tilt, as the sun appears in the sky in winter in the Northern Hemisphere. Because of this tilt, winter sunlight spreads more across the same region of the hemisphere, which contributes to the feeling of coldness due to the spread of light energy. And less warmth.

The Earth's tilt plays an important role, as it makes the Northern Hemisphere farther from the sun during the winter. Although this effect is small at distance, the Earth's tilt remains the main factor in changing the climate in the winter.

This indicates that the differences are more pronounced in the North and South Poles, where the Sun appears less in the sky in winter at the North Pole and more at the South Pole. This results in areas of the Earth at the equator being less affected by the Earth’s tilt, and the Sun is seen at a similar amount whether In summer or winter.

So, the difference that occurs in the winter in the Northern Hemisphere only appears, while the cold weather in the winter in the Southern Hemisphere depends on the distance from the edges of the Earth and its proximity to the equator.

Effect of the Earth's axis tilt

The Earth's axis of rotation is tilted about 23 degrees relative to its orbit around the Sun. This leads to the northern hemisphere tilting towards the sun in the summer; The solar light is therefore more uniform and straight.

While in winter, the Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the Sun, making the Sun appear at a low angle in the sky. This change in the angle of solar radiation causes the light to be smeared across a larger area on the Earth's surface, reducing the amount of energy received and causing cold winters.

The phenomenon is repeated in the southern hemisphere, where they have summer when it is winter in the north, and vice versa. The temperature depends greatly on the angle of the sun’s radiation, and in areas near the poles, the sun always appears at a low angle, which leads to permanent cold. Conversely, The sun appears at a high angle near the equator, which leads to generally higher temperatures.

In this way, the Earth's tilt affects the angle of the sun and the amount of direct light received, forming the basis for climate variations and seasons around the world.

Also know:

A stunning image of a star being born 1,300 light-years from Earth captured by the James Webb Telescope

Discovering the largest solar storm, 14,300 years old, through tree rings

Sources:

wtamu