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, the North Pole experiences a phenomenon known as polar night, where the sun remains below the horizon for an extended period, resulting in 24 hours of darkness. This occurs because the Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the sun. In contrast, the South Pole experiences continuous daylight during this time, as the Southern Hemisphere is tilted towards the sun, allowing sunlight to reach the region. The stark contrast in daylight and darkness at the poles during the solstice is primarily due to Earth’s axial tilt and its orbit around the sun.