In 3-5 sentences, explain the reasons for the differences in daylight and darkness at the North Pole and South Pole on the December solstice

1 answer

On the December solstice, which occurs around December 21st, the North Pole experiences twenty-four hours of darkness, while the South Pole experiences twenty-four hours of daylight. This phenomenon is primarily due to the tilt of the Earth's axis, which is about 23.5 degrees. During this time, the Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the Sun, resulting in continuous darkness at the North Pole, whereas the Southern Hemisphere is tilted toward the Sun, leading to continuous sunlight at the South Pole. Consequently, the axial tilt creates stark contrasts in daylight and darkness at the two poles during this solstice.