Effect of axial tilt on a planet

Desdichado

Hero

• Jun 15, 2005

• #1

So, if my setting has a higher axial tilt than our world, what does that mean for the seasons? More extreme, I'd wager, since the directness of solar rays would be greater, but are the seasons longer?

 

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der_kluge

Adventurer

• Jun 15, 2005

• #2

I don't think the seasons would be longer. I think that's a result of the time it takes to orbit the sun. The earth tilts from one side to the other which reverses the seasons to the different poles. Like, it's winter in Australia when it's summer here.

 

BiggusGeekus

That's Latin for "cool"

• Jun 15, 2005

• #3

Seasons will be more pronounced as the air currents get all jiggly (that's a technical term).

I'm not sure what you mean by length though.

 

Desdichado

Hero

• Jun 15, 2005

• #4

Right -- and so a steeper axial tilt will mean that the summer hemisphere is getting even more direct sunlight than on our world, resulting in more extreme seasonal differences.

I presume. Is that the only different, though?

 

Turanil

First Post

• Jun 15, 2005

• #5

The length of the seasons is only based of the length of the year, since it is a cycle (orbit of planet around the sun). Now, the harshness of the seasons will also depends on whether the orbit is perfectly circular or ecliptic (mmmh... is that the right word?).

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Just I begin to type my answer, nobody responded to this thread. Once I finished those three lines, three people posted.

 

Desdichado

Hero

• Jun 15, 2005

• #6

BiggusGeekus said:

I'm not sure what you mean by length though.

Click to expand...

Eh, nothing. Nevermind that. The time frame for seasons is obviously based on how long it takes to complete an orbit.

I had a brain fart, that's all.

 

C

Corsair

First Post

• Jun 15, 2005

• #7

Axial tilt will effect the length of the DAYS. During summer, you will have fewer hours of night, during winter fewer hours of daylight.

 

BiggusGeekus

That's Latin for "cool"

• Jun 15, 2005

• #8

Joshua Dyal said:

I presume. Is that the only different, though?

Click to expand...

Well, you're going to see more storms. Especially in the spring and autumn.

For transportation you'd likely see fewer catamarans and light craft in favor of blukier ships.

I know you're a big flying island guy, I would imagine stronger wind currents would affect these as well.

 

Rodrigo Istalindir

Explorer

• Jun 15, 2005

• #9

There is a detailed discussion of this and other similar topics in the Magical Medieval Society book.

 

Hand of Evil

Hero

Epic

• Jun 15, 2005

• #10

Your 'zones' would be different - either larger or smaller, could be that they would shift with the axies but don't see it.