Celebrated in great festivals in ancient times, the seasons of the year function as a type of ‘calendar’ for mother natureas well as being of paramount importance for the migration and reproduction process of some species that are already suffering from the effects of climate change which, unfortunately, are messing up the perfect cycle of the season on the planet.
But if you believe that only on Earth the seasons have been crazy, maybe you’ll change your mind when you know how things are on the other planets in our solar system.
With drastic changes in temperature within the same day, or even a unique climate (eternal bonfire), the other 7 seven planets have many peculiarities in their seasons, or lack thereof. Find out how the seasons occur and what they are like on other planets.
Do you know how the seasons happen?Source: Getty Images
The recipe for the seasons
The seasons occur due to a set of variables related to the translation movement and the inclination of the planets’ rotation axis. At certain points in the orbit of these stars, they may be closer to the Sun, perihelion, or further away, aphelion, which generates greater or lesser solar incidence.
The axis of rotation will dictate which part of the planet will receive more of this exposure, generating a difference in temperature, length of day and the marking of seasons.
In different parts of the orbit, we experience changes in solar irradiation and changes in temperature and day length. Source: Getty Images
In the case of Earth, the axis is inclined approximately 23 degrees in relation to its orbit, generating practically uniform radiation along the equator, while the poles receive less heat.
to obliquity on the planetary axes is who will determine whether a planet has seasonal temperature changes in different parts of the orb, in addition to day and night. With very drastic slopes, very dramatic seasons.
It is important to remember that these angles may vary throughout the orbit, and the planets are influenced by their satellites, the Sun and other stars that may invade their trajectories, even if the variation is infinitesimal.
In the case of our little planet, the Moon acts as a stabilizer, maintaining the Earth’s angle as it follows its path around our main star.
Although some planets have a good obliquity, their atmosphere does not allow large variations in temperature. Source: Getty Images
But what about the other planets, what are the seasons like?
Mercury
The closest planet to the Sun, Mercury, has only two seasons. Source: Getty Images
We are definitely a privileged planet, with an excellent distribution of solar radiation, even if you don’t agree with hot summer days.
Imagine that on Mercury, the planet closest to the Sun, the “seasons” are of intense cold and deadly heat. When it’s daytime, temperatures can reach more than 400 degrees Celsius, and at night, -180°C.
Taking into account that a year on Mercury has 88 Earth days, and that a day there lasts 59 of our days, there would only be 29 Earth days of a winter as deadly as summer.
Venus and Mars
What will it be like to live in an eternal summer?Source: Getty Images
As hot as the love of the goddess Venus, the planet that bears her name can be even better. Eternal summer, scorching and makes hell look like paradise.
Its atmosphere does not allow large variations in temperature due to its intoxicating gases that cause an unprecedented greenhouse effect. The heat is around 475 °C on the illuminated side.
The red planet, Mars, has winters similar to ours in terms of radiation distribution, however, much colder, with minimums of 153 °C, and longer seasons, lasting four months.
Jupiter
The largest planet in our solar system, Jupiter, has no seasons. Its obliquity is only three degrees and it does not have significant variability in relation to seasonality. In any part of its orbit, it will maintain the same temperature and day length.
Have you ever imagined living on a planet with a single season, all year round? Welcome to Jupiter!Source: Getty Images
Saturn, Uranus and Neptune
Saturn has a similar inclination to Earth, at 26.7 degrees. Its seasons are defined as mild winter, which would be a summer, and extreme winter. Its atmosphere helps the little heat received from the Sun to be dissipated throughout all regions.
The teetering jewel of our solar system is Uranus, with an axis so tilted (97º) that it rolls around in its orbit. With the pole almost completely pointed towards the Sun, data points to long, cold winters, while summers are as bright as possible considering its distance from the Sun.
For Uranus, the Sun is just a dot in the “center” of its orbit. Source: Getty Images
Finally, Neptune, with a similar inclination to our planet, could also have better defined seasons, however, due to its distance from the main star, it maintains less variable temperatures throughout its trajectory.
Even though the seasons cannot be well defined on other planets, they exist. Our system companions still hold some surprises that could be revealed in the coming decades.
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