The angle of inclination of the Earth’s axis from its orbit is approximately 23.5 degrees. This angle is known as the axial tilt or obliquity of the Earth. It refers to the tilt of the Earth’s axis relative to its orbital plane, which is the plane formed by the Earth’s path around the Sun.
The axial tilt is responsible for the changing seasons and the variation in daylight hours throughout the year. When one hemisphere is tilted towards the Sun, it receives more direct sunlight and experiences summer, while the other hemisphere is tilted away from the Sun and experiences winter. During the equinoxes, around March and September, the axial tilt is such that both hemispheres receive roughly equal amounts of sunlight, resulting in milder temperatures.
The axial tilt also has important implications for the distribution of solar energy, climate patterns, and the geographical location of the Arctic and Antarctic circles, which mark the boundaries of the regions where the Sun does not set during summer and does not rise during winter.
It is worth noting that the axial tilt of the Earth is not fixed and undergoes slight variations over long periods of time, ranging from approximately 22.1 to 24.5 degrees. These variations occur due to factors such as gravitational interactions with other celestial bodies and the precession of the Earth’s axis.
