Solstices, Equinoxes, and Equiluxes

As the Earth orbits the Sun, it also rotates, which gives us day and night. But it doesn’t spin vertically, like a ballerina. Instead, Earth is tilted at a bit of an angle (23.44°, for those who like numbers). As it orbits, this tilt means the southern hemisphere (and Aotearoa / New Zealand) is more exposed to the sun during summer, and less exposed during winter. More sun means longer days and warmer temperatures, while less sun means shorter days and colder temperatures.