How the Earth’s Orbit and Rotation Create Seasons

The California Academy of Sciences mapped out a beautiful visualization showing how the Earth’s orbit around the sun, combined with how it tilts towards and away during rotation, determines how seasons are felt around the world at different times.

In this visualization watch as the Earth orbits the Sun, rotating, like a slightly tilted, spinning top. This rotation changes the angle at which sunlight hits the surface of our planet, creating the different seasons we experience here on Earth.