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Why Polar Seasons Are Extreme

Understand why the poles have extreme seasons — Earth's axis is tilted at about 23.5°, so as it orbits the Sun, each pole spends half the year tilted toward the Sun (continuous daylight, warmer summer) and half tilted away (continuous darkness, bitter winter); this tilt also drives the annual cycle of sea ice expanding in winter and retreating in summer, and triggers animal behaviours like migration and breeding

Typical age: 79 years

Can your child explain WHY the poles have months of daylight in summer and months of darkness in winter — that it's because Earth is tilted on its axis as it goes around the Sun?

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