Why Does the Sun Stay Up for Months Near the Poles?

What Crafty Clover says in this video

Intro

Hi there, curious minds! I'm Crafty Clover! Let's discover something amazing. Why does the Sun stay up for months near the poles?

The Big Idea

The Sun stays up for months near the poles because Earth is tilted as it travels around the Sun! The tilt is about 23.5 degrees. Let's tilt our heads and see.

A Tilted Earth

Step one: a tilted Earth. Earth is tilted about 23.5 degrees as it travels around the Sun. It always leans in the same direction. The tilt never changes.

Tipped Toward

Step two: tipped toward the Sun. For half the year, the North Pole tips toward the Sun. Every spot in the Arctic stays in sunlight as Earth spins.

Tipped Away

Step three: tipped away. For the other half of the year, the pole tips away from the Sun. The Arctic stays in shadow, and the South Pole does the opposite.

A Closer Look

Let's take a closer look! Earth leans, like a spinning top. When the pole leans toward the Sun, it is lit all day. When it leans away, it stays dark. The two poles trade places every half year. Seasons come from this tilt.

Quick Facts

Quick facts! When it is summer at one pole, it is winter at the other. Earth makes one trip around the Sun each year. The tilt also causes our seasons. Never look straight at the Sun. Use a flashlight to model sunlight.

Think Like a Scientist

Now, be an explorer! With a grown-up, tilt a ball toward a flashlight and spin it slowly. Notice how the top stays lit as it spins. Now tilt it away. What happens to the top?

Outro

Earth's tilt gives the poles months of Sun and months of dark. Science is amazing! Crafty Clover can be found on Amazon Books, Google Bookstore, and Apple Books. Available for purchase or download! Bye for now!