Expert: Ed - 10/29/2008

Question
I am working with a 6th grade class on seasons, and one student asked how we know the Earth is tilted. I couldn't come up with an answer. I was wondering if you could help. I would like to know who came up with it and any other information about its history.

Thanks,
Ms. Brown

Answer
Hello,
Aaaahh, I am at a library right now and they close in 10 minutes.  Get back to me Saturday if my answer is insufficient, okay??

Basically, we know the Earth is tilted BECAUSE THE SEASONS CHANGE.  Think about it.  In the winter, the hemisphere of the Earth which is experiencing winter is tilted a bit away from the sun.  Therefore, it gets fewer hours of sunlight each day, and the angle of the sun in the sky is always fairly low.  Thi is why it gets cold in the winter.  In the summer, this is reversed.

I'm sorry, but they are booting me out of the library, and anyway I need to go man the candy at our house for Halloween.  Please get back to me this weekend, and I will answer this question more carefully.

Keep Looking Up!
--Ed