The Distance Between the Sun and the Earth Influences Seasons
You may remember being taught that summer begins when the Earth is closer to the sun, and that winter begins when the Earth is further from the sun. But in fact, the Earth and the sun are closer during the winter and farther apart during the summer. The reason the seasons change is the result of the Northernmost point of the Earth’s axis tilting, allowing the planet to experience the sun more directly in certain areas over the course of its orbit.