MUNDANE MYSTERIES: Why Does It Get Dark Earlier Now?

Surface of the Planet Earth viewed from a satellite, focused on North America, sun shining in deep space. 3D illustration (Blender software) - Elements of this image furnished by NASA (https://eoimages.gsfc.nasa.gov/images/imagerecords/73000/73776/world.topo.bathy.200408.3x5400x2700.jpg).

MUNDANE MYSTERIES: Why Does It Get Dark Earlier Now?

Every since last weekend when we turned the clocks back you’ve probably noticed that it’s getting dark much earlier now. Maybe even before you eat dinner! It’s the worst. But why exactly does this even happen?

The reason is “a tilted axis”. When you look at planet earth from space it’s a big sphere, but it’s not a straight big sphere. It’s actually tilted. Roughly about 23.5 degrees on an axis. Because of that tilt it maks the Earth revolve in a way that is not perpendicular to the sun. As the Earth turns parts of it tilt towards the sun while other parts tilt away.

In the summer months the top of the Earth tilts and faces the sun which gives us those glorious long days of sunlight. In the winter (now) it switches and the Northern Hemisphere points away from the sun giving us shorter days and that dreaded early darkness.

So there you go, you can blame the Earth’s tilted axis for these short days.

 

Photo credit: Getty Images