This tilt controls the strength of sunlight reaching Earth's surface. While journeying around the sun, our planet doesn't 'sit' perfectly upright - rather, it leans 23.5° from its axis (the imaginary vertical line through Earth's center which points toward the North Star). (One trip takes approximately 365 1/4 days to complete, sound familiar?) If it wasn't for Earth's orbit, the same side of the planet would directly face the sun and temperatures would remain either perpetually hot or cold year round. How Earth Moves Around the Sun (Earth's Orbit & Axial Tilt)Įarth travels around the Sun on an oval-shaped path known as an orbit.
