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A Planet Where The Four Seasons Occur Multiple Times In One Year?
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Earthlings,
I live on a world where most places on my planet has four seasons, just like yours does. We also have one sun and one moon, presumably. It's been not even a year since I came of age (20), and we've gone through the four seasons about a dozen times. I repeat, it has not yet been a year.
The people on my planet are very similar to humans on your world, and a side-by-side comparison would show this. Our animals are much like yours also, with minor exceptions that aren't really relevant. The only difference between us and your people is that we're much more resilient to the elements, blunt force trauma, and so forth. Several times each, I've survived electrocution, being blasted in the face by fire, and falling off a tall building where I fell at least 5 stories, probably more (usually being caught by something before hitting the ground, but not in a way that would make the impact much safer) and suffered minor injuries at most from each of these. So if the reason means the conditions of our world are somewhat less hospitable compared to yours, that should still be fine, as long as our world isn't a hellscape. (Our world is actually quite pretty with rainforests, cities, crystal clear oceans, fields, and so forth.)
That said, we have holidays like you do. We have Christmas every winter (not once a year, but every winter,) and Halloween every autumn. Our birthdays, however, are only once a year, just as yours are.
I've always found this strange, though. With one sun and moon, it makes little sense that we'd have the four seasons multiple times. From my understanding, the four seasons should still only happen once... right? Is there an explanation for how this could occur naturally? If not, what about unnaturally? Could this be caused by a specific tilt to the axis?
EDIT: Some supplementary information. We are a globe planet, technically an oblate spheroid, like Earth. Not a flat world like Discworld, nor are we other abnormal shapes. Also, I'd like the answer to make sense through science, without the need of "magic" as an answer.
planets environment earth-like seasons
asked 1 hour ago
Sora Tamashii
2739
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Sora Tamashii is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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up vote
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down vote
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Earthlings,
I live on a world where most places on my planet has four seasons, just like yours does. We also have one sun and one moon, presumably. It's been not even a year since I came of age (20), and we've gone through the four seasons about a dozen times. I repeat, it has not yet been a year.
The people on my planet are very similar to humans on your world, and a side-by-side comparison would show this. Our animals are much like yours also, with minor exceptions that aren't really relevant. The only difference between us and your people is that we're much more resilient to the elements, blunt force trauma, and so forth. Several times each, I've survived electrocution, being blasted in the face by fire, and falling off a tall building where I fell at least 5 stories, probably more (usually being caught by something before hitting the ground, but not in a way that would make the impact much safer) and suffered minor injuries at most from each of these. So if the reason means the conditions of our world are somewhat less hospitable compared to yours, that should still be fine, as long as our world isn't a hellscape. (Our world is actually quite pretty with rainforests, cities, crystal clear oceans, fields, and so forth.)
That said, we have holidays like you do. We have Christmas every winter (not once a year, but every winter,) and Halloween every autumn. Our birthdays, however, are only once a year, just as yours are.
I've always found this strange, though. With one sun and moon, it makes little sense that we'd have the four seasons multiple times. From my understanding, the four seasons should still only happen once... right? Is there an explanation for how this could occur naturally? If not, what about unnaturally? Could this be caused by a specific tilt to the axis?
EDIT: Some supplementary information. We are a globe planet, technically an oblate spheroid, like Earth. Not a flat world like Discworld, nor are we other abnormal shapes. Also, I'd like the answer to make sense through science, without the need of "magic" as an answer.
planets environment earth-like seasons
asked 1 hour ago
Sora Tamashii
2739
New contributor
Sora Tamashii is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Hi Sora. The science tag is for science in general, or the perception of science, within a fictional world. (See the tag description.) I don't think it applies to your question, so I have removed it.
– Î± CVn♦
1 hour ago
I was actually debating between science and science-based, because I wanted to know based on a scientific reasoning as opposed to just hearing "magic". I do appreciate the explanation as to why you did so. What tag would you recommend to express that then?
– Sora Tamashii
1 hour ago
2
From very early in the site's life, our default stance has been that answers should be based in science and/or logic unless the question explicitly allows for magic. So you should be fine. science is for questions about science within a fictional world; science-based can be used to explicitly say that you want answers based on science, but don't require scientific citations. Generally, I think it's better to simply state your requirements in the question text, rather than relying on tags to express such constraints.
– Î± CVn♦
1 hour ago
Depends on whether you define seasons astronomically (by axial tilt), or by weather. Hereabouts (east side of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, North American continent of planet Earth) it is quite possible to go through all four weather seasons in a single day :-) E.g. spring showers in the early morning, summery swimsuit weather around noon, winter snow in the afternoon, and autumn frost at night.
– jamesqf
18 mins ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
2
down vote
favorite
up vote
2
down vote
favorite
Earthlings,
I live on a world where most places on my planet has four seasons, just like yours does. We also have one sun and one moon, presumably. It's been not even a year since I came of age (20), and we've gone through the four seasons about a dozen times. I repeat, it has not yet been a year.
The people on my planet are very similar to humans on your world, and a side-by-side comparison would show this. Our animals are much like yours also, with minor exceptions that aren't really relevant. The only difference between us and your people is that we're much more resilient to the elements, blunt force trauma, and so forth. Several times each, I've survived electrocution, being blasted in the face by fire, and falling off a tall building where I fell at least 5 stories, probably more (usually being caught by something before hitting the ground, but not in a way that would make the impact much safer) and suffered minor injuries at most from each of these. So if the reason means the conditions of our world are somewhat less hospitable compared to yours, that should still be fine, as long as our world isn't a hellscape. (Our world is actually quite pretty with rainforests, cities, crystal clear oceans, fields, and so forth.)
That said, we have holidays like you do. We have Christmas every winter (not once a year, but every winter,) and Halloween every autumn. Our birthdays, however, are only once a year, just as yours are.
I've always found this strange, though. With one sun and moon, it makes little sense that we'd have the four seasons multiple times. From my understanding, the four seasons should still only happen once... right? Is there an explanation for how this could occur naturally? If not, what about unnaturally? Could this be caused by a specific tilt to the axis?
EDIT: Some supplementary information. We are a globe planet, technically an oblate spheroid, like Earth. Not a flat world like Discworld, nor are we other abnormal shapes. Also, I'd like the answer to make sense through science, without the need of "magic" as an answer.
planets environment earth-like seasons
asked 1 hour ago
Sora Tamashii
2739
New contributor
Sora Tamashii is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Earthlings,
I live on a world where most places on my planet has four seasons, just like yours does. We also have one sun and one moon, presumably. It's been not even a year since I came of age (20), and we've gone through the four seasons about a dozen times. I repeat, it has not yet been a year.
The people on my planet are very similar to humans on your world, and a side-by-side comparison would show this. Our animals are much like yours also, with minor exceptions that aren't really relevant. The only difference between us and your people is that we're much more resilient to the elements, blunt force trauma, and so forth. Several times each, I've survived electrocution, being blasted in the face by fire, and falling off a tall building where I fell at least 5 stories, probably more (usually being caught by something before hitting the ground, but not in a way that would make the impact much safer) and suffered minor injuries at most from each of these. So if the reason means the conditions of our world are somewhat less hospitable compared to yours, that should still be fine, as long as our world isn't a hellscape. (Our world is actually quite pretty with rainforests, cities, crystal clear oceans, fields, and so forth.)
That said, we have holidays like you do. We have Christmas every winter (not once a year, but every winter,) and Halloween every autumn. Our birthdays, however, are only once a year, just as yours are.
I've always found this strange, though. With one sun and moon, it makes little sense that we'd have the four seasons multiple times. From my understanding, the four seasons should still only happen once... right? Is there an explanation for how this could occur naturally? If not, what about unnaturally? Could this be caused by a specific tilt to the axis?
EDIT: Some supplementary information. We are a globe planet, technically an oblate spheroid, like Earth. Not a flat world like Discworld, nor are we other abnormal shapes. Also, I'd like the answer to make sense through science, without the need of "magic" as an answer.
planets environment earth-like seasons
planets environment earth-like seasons
asked 1 hour ago
Sora Tamashii
2739
New contributor
Sora Tamashii is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 1 hour ago
Sora Tamashii
2739
New contributor
Sora Tamashii is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited 1 hour ago
asked 1 hour ago
Sora Tamashii
2739
New contributor
Sora Tamashii is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 1 hour ago
Sora Tamashii
2739
asked 1 hour ago
Sora Tamashii
2739
2739
New contributor
Sora Tamashii is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
Sora Tamashii is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Sora Tamashii is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Hi Sora. The science tag is for science in general, or the perception of science, within a fictional world. (See the tag description.) I don't think it applies to your question, so I have removed it.
– Î± CVn♦
1 hour ago
I was actually debating between science and science-based, because I wanted to know based on a scientific reasoning as opposed to just hearing "magic". I do appreciate the explanation as to why you did so. What tag would you recommend to express that then?
– Sora Tamashii
1 hour ago
2
From very early in the site's life, our default stance has been that answers should be based in science and/or logic unless the question explicitly allows for magic. So you should be fine. science is for questions about science within a fictional world; science-based can be used to explicitly say that you want answers based on science, but don't require scientific citations. Generally, I think it's better to simply state your requirements in the question text, rather than relying on tags to express such constraints.
– Î± CVn♦
1 hour ago
Depends on whether you define seasons astronomically (by axial tilt), or by weather. Hereabouts (east side of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, North American continent of planet Earth) it is quite possible to go through all four weather seasons in a single day :-) E.g. spring showers in the early morning, summery swimsuit weather around noon, winter snow in the afternoon, and autumn frost at night.
– jamesqf
18 mins ago
add a comment |Â
Hi Sora. The science tag is for science in general, or the perception of science, within a fictional world. (See the tag description.) I don't think it applies to your question, so I have removed it.
– Î± CVn♦
1 hour ago
I was actually debating between science and science-based, because I wanted to know based on a scientific reasoning as opposed to just hearing "magic". I do appreciate the explanation as to why you did so. What tag would you recommend to express that then?
– Sora Tamashii
1 hour ago
2
From very early in the site's life, our default stance has been that answers should be based in science and/or logic unless the question explicitly allows for magic. So you should be fine. science is for questions about science within a fictional world; science-based can be used to explicitly say that you want answers based on science, but don't require scientific citations. Generally, I think it's better to simply state your requirements in the question text, rather than relying on tags to express such constraints.
– Î± CVn♦
1 hour ago
Depends on whether you define seasons astronomically (by axial tilt), or by weather. Hereabouts (east side of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, North American continent of planet Earth) it is quite possible to go through all four weather seasons in a single day :-) E.g. spring showers in the early morning, summery swimsuit weather around noon, winter snow in the afternoon, and autumn frost at night.
– jamesqf
18 mins ago
Hi Sora. The science tag is for science in general, or the perception of science, within a fictional world. (See the tag description.) I don't think it applies to your question, so I have removed it.
– Î± CVn♦
1 hour ago
Hi Sora. The science tag is for science in general, or the perception of science, within a fictional world. (See the tag description.) I don't think it applies to your question, so I have removed it.
– Î± CVn♦
1 hour ago
I was actually debating between science and science-based, because I wanted to know based on a scientific reasoning as opposed to just hearing "magic". I do appreciate the explanation as to why you did so. What tag would you recommend to express that then?
– Sora Tamashii
1 hour ago
I was actually debating between science and science-based, because I wanted to know based on a scientific reasoning as opposed to just hearing "magic". I do appreciate the explanation as to why you did so. What tag would you recommend to express that then?
– Sora Tamashii
1 hour ago
2
2
From very early in the site's life, our default stance has been that answers should be based in science and/or logic unless the question explicitly allows for magic. So you should be fine. science is for questions about science within a fictional world; science-based can be used to explicitly say that you want answers based on science, but don't require scientific citations. Generally, I think it's better to simply state your requirements in the question text, rather than relying on tags to express such constraints.
– Î± CVn♦
1 hour ago
From very early in the site's life, our default stance has been that answers should be based in science and/or logic unless the question explicitly allows for magic. So you should be fine. science is for questions about science within a fictional world; science-based can be used to explicitly say that you want answers based on science, but don't require scientific citations. Generally, I think it's better to simply state your requirements in the question text, rather than relying on tags to express such constraints.
– Î± CVn♦
1 hour ago
Depends on whether you define seasons astronomically (by axial tilt), or by weather. Hereabouts (east side of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, North American continent of planet Earth) it is quite possible to go through all four weather seasons in a single day :-) E.g. spring showers in the early morning, summery swimsuit weather around noon, winter snow in the afternoon, and autumn frost at night.
– jamesqf
18 mins ago
Depends on whether you define seasons astronomically (by axial tilt), or by weather. Hereabouts (east side of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, North American continent of planet Earth) it is quite possible to go through all four weather seasons in a single day :-) E.g. spring showers in the early morning, summery swimsuit weather around noon, winter snow in the afternoon, and autumn frost at night.
– jamesqf
18 mins ago
add a comment |Â
4 Answers
4
active
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up vote
3
down vote
Your seasons aren’t caused by axial tilt. They’re more accurately known as ‘weather’.
There is a system on Earth that leads to warm, humid seasonality and raised sea levels on top of the usual four seasons caused by tilt relative to the sun. It is called El Niño/ El Nina, and (to simplify greatly) its a giant wave that bounces up and down the planet’s oceans at a pace dictated by the shape and size of said oceans.
Now, if your planet has a series of such weather systems (for example a wave that heads up and down the planet, a storm that cycles around the planet, or an ocean current that periodically switches direction) then you can experience multiple ‘seasons’ as many times per year as your weather systems will allow. They’re not driven by axial tilt, rather the resonant properties of your planet.
It is worth noting however that such seasonalities are unlikely to be stable over geological timescales, so the seasons of a thousand years hence will be different to the seasons of today. You may even have different sets of seasons in different geographical locales, which would be fun and interesting!!
answered 1 hour ago
Joe Bloggs
32.5k1894165
Ooh! Of course it's good practice hear to wait 24 hours before accepting an answer, but I like this! Not only could this explain it within reason, it'd also explain inconsistency with season lengths as well. Thanks for that!
– Sora Tamashii
1 hour ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
3
down vote
The reason we have four seasons is directly related to our planet's axial tilt... the rotational axis of the Earth is currently [1] inclined at 23.5° from the "vertical" relative to our orbital plane: Summer is the season in which a given hemisphere is tilted more towards the sun, Winter is the season in which a given hemisphere is tilted away, and Spring and Autumn are the transitional periods between those states.
This is why solstices and equinoxes are so valuable in marking seasonal time: they represent the maxima, minima and midpoints of the values of day/night length for the given hemisphere.
If a planet precessed (its axial til relative to orbit shifting through the course of time - visualise here a spinning top tipped at an angle and that angle rotating round as the top spins) at exactly the correct fractional rate relative to its orbital period (year), it would be expected to then have two or three or four sets of repeated seasons through the course of a single year.
Bear in mind that we have observed planets with differing levels of precession of their axial tilt, and we have some good theories about the long-term stability of such situations, but we don't have long term observations with enough detail to point at concrete examples - that said, precession-based multi-seasonality would most likely be far more stable than the earlier-mentioned false seasons via cyclic weather pattern given a similar atmospheric density and composition to our own.
Given that our planet precesses (look up the precession of the Equinoxes for details) in a cycle of about 25,000 years, you could readily posit a planet whose precession speed was faster than its orbital period - giving your planet multiple seasons per year. If you are comfortable delving into this in more depth, you could posit your planet being in a period of some orbital instability around its primary[2], in which case both the orbital period and the precession periods would be in flux, and the precession might not only fluctuate in period but in vector (visualise your spinning top slowing down and the chunk of time in which it appears to almost flip around to and fro as the precession becomes unstable) and you'd have a supremely unstable set of seasons - almost aperiodic - and given we're positing this based on main orbital instability, you might have solar flares, changes in solar radiation received as distance to primary fluctuates, gravitational and magnetic storms and fluctutations - you could go for some pretty severe, apocalyptic level climactic chaos here.
I will leave it to some of the physics minded folks to give you the orbital mechanics maths details, as I know my physics studies and practical usage are now far behind me; statics I still use, but physics per se - juuuust the core concepts these days!
Hope this helps.
[1] This value changes slightly over time in a range between ~ 22.1° and 24.5°
[2] Orbits can collapse due to other orbital bodies being disrupted (asteroid impact) or coming apart (our solar system's asteroid belt was most likely once a planet) or due to direct interaction with other bodies - say a large passing comet moves past your planet with a very close approach, or due to changes in the primary itself (new mass added due to another satellite's orbital decay being severe enough to allow impact & merger) or even just tidal gravity effects robbing your planet of orbital velocity.
answered 1 hour ago
GerardFalla
2,759418
This would also explain how we still have multiples of the holidays at consistent intervals. Thank you! :)
– Sora Tamashii
1 hour ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
There are two ways this could happen.
A star system composed of infinite cylinders will do the trick in some arrangements. This is discussed at length in this question:
Seasons on Infinite Cylinder Planet
A flat Earth whose sun orbits the disc will have two of each season per full rotation of the disc. Discworld is the classical example:
Since the disc's tiny orbiting sunlet maintains a fixed orbit while the majestic disc turns slowly beneath it, it will be readily deduced that a disc year consists of not four but eight seasons. The summers are those times when the sun rises or sets at the nearest point on the Rim, the winters those occasions when it rises or sets at a point around ninety degrees along the circumference.
(...)
Since the Hub is never closely warmed by the weak sun the lands there are locked in permafrost. The Rim, on the other hand, is a region of sunny islands and balmy days.
Precisely why all the above should be so is not clear, but goes some way to explain why, on the disc, the Gods are not so much worshipped as blamed.
answered 1 hour ago
Renan
37.2k1184188
I should edit in my post that we are a globe, but I do appreciate this input. I hadn't considered that at the time. Also I'm not sure how I feel about an ICP planet. A few ICP fans at a given time are enough. :P (ICP being a band. I'm making a joke. Don't overanalyze. lol)
– Sora Tamashii
1 hour ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
The planet has no axial tilt.
But it anyway has seasons, because:
The star it orbits arount is an intrinsic variable star, it changes its size and brightness periodically, causing seasons that may repeat multiple times per year, since the star may change its brightness multiple times per year.
Variable star at different times:
therefore, differing from earth, on this planet, seasons are the same on both hemispheres.
answered 23 mins ago
KGM
4466
add a comment |Â
4 Answers
4
active
oldest
votes
4 Answers
4
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
3
down vote
Your seasons aren’t caused by axial tilt. They’re more accurately known as ‘weather’.
There is a system on Earth that leads to warm, humid seasonality and raised sea levels on top of the usual four seasons caused by tilt relative to the sun. It is called El Niño/ El Nina, and (to simplify greatly) its a giant wave that bounces up and down the planet’s oceans at a pace dictated by the shape and size of said oceans.
Now, if your planet has a series of such weather systems (for example a wave that heads up and down the planet, a storm that cycles around the planet, or an ocean current that periodically switches direction) then you can experience multiple ‘seasons’ as many times per year as your weather systems will allow. They’re not driven by axial tilt, rather the resonant properties of your planet.
It is worth noting however that such seasonalities are unlikely to be stable over geological timescales, so the seasons of a thousand years hence will be different to the seasons of today. You may even have different sets of seasons in different geographical locales, which would be fun and interesting!!
answered 1 hour ago
Joe Bloggs
32.5k1894165
Ooh! Of course it's good practice hear to wait 24 hours before accepting an answer, but I like this! Not only could this explain it within reason, it'd also explain inconsistency with season lengths as well. Thanks for that!
– Sora Tamashii
1 hour ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
3
down vote
Your seasons aren’t caused by axial tilt. They’re more accurately known as ‘weather’.
There is a system on Earth that leads to warm, humid seasonality and raised sea levels on top of the usual four seasons caused by tilt relative to the sun. It is called El Niño/ El Nina, and (to simplify greatly) its a giant wave that bounces up and down the planet’s oceans at a pace dictated by the shape and size of said oceans.
Now, if your planet has a series of such weather systems (for example a wave that heads up and down the planet, a storm that cycles around the planet, or an ocean current that periodically switches direction) then you can experience multiple ‘seasons’ as many times per year as your weather systems will allow. They’re not driven by axial tilt, rather the resonant properties of your planet.
It is worth noting however that such seasonalities are unlikely to be stable over geological timescales, so the seasons of a thousand years hence will be different to the seasons of today. You may even have different sets of seasons in different geographical locales, which would be fun and interesting!!
answered 1 hour ago
Joe Bloggs
32.5k1894165
Ooh! Of course it's good practice hear to wait 24 hours before accepting an answer, but I like this! Not only could this explain it within reason, it'd also explain inconsistency with season lengths as well. Thanks for that!
– Sora Tamashii
1 hour ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
3
down vote
up vote
3
down vote
Your seasons aren’t caused by axial tilt. They’re more accurately known as ‘weather’.
There is a system on Earth that leads to warm, humid seasonality and raised sea levels on top of the usual four seasons caused by tilt relative to the sun. It is called El Niño/ El Nina, and (to simplify greatly) its a giant wave that bounces up and down the planet’s oceans at a pace dictated by the shape and size of said oceans.
Now, if your planet has a series of such weather systems (for example a wave that heads up and down the planet, a storm that cycles around the planet, or an ocean current that periodically switches direction) then you can experience multiple ‘seasons’ as many times per year as your weather systems will allow. They’re not driven by axial tilt, rather the resonant properties of your planet.
It is worth noting however that such seasonalities are unlikely to be stable over geological timescales, so the seasons of a thousand years hence will be different to the seasons of today. You may even have different sets of seasons in different geographical locales, which would be fun and interesting!!
answered 1 hour ago
Joe Bloggs
32.5k1894165
Your seasons aren’t caused by axial tilt. They’re more accurately known as ‘weather’.
There is a system on Earth that leads to warm, humid seasonality and raised sea levels on top of the usual four seasons caused by tilt relative to the sun. It is called El Niño/ El Nina, and (to simplify greatly) its a giant wave that bounces up and down the planet’s oceans at a pace dictated by the shape and size of said oceans.
Now, if your planet has a series of such weather systems (for example a wave that heads up and down the planet, a storm that cycles around the planet, or an ocean current that periodically switches direction) then you can experience multiple ‘seasons’ as many times per year as your weather systems will allow. They’re not driven by axial tilt, rather the resonant properties of your planet.
It is worth noting however that such seasonalities are unlikely to be stable over geological timescales, so the seasons of a thousand years hence will be different to the seasons of today. You may even have different sets of seasons in different geographical locales, which would be fun and interesting!!
answered 1 hour ago
Joe Bloggs
32.5k1894165
answered 1 hour ago
Joe Bloggs
32.5k1894165
answered 1 hour ago
Joe Bloggs
32.5k1894165
answered 1 hour ago
Joe Bloggs
32.5k1894165
32.5k1894165
Ooh! Of course it's good practice hear to wait 24 hours before accepting an answer, but I like this! Not only could this explain it within reason, it'd also explain inconsistency with season lengths as well. Thanks for that!
– Sora Tamashii
1 hour ago
add a comment |Â
Ooh! Of course it's good practice hear to wait 24 hours before accepting an answer, but I like this! Not only could this explain it within reason, it'd also explain inconsistency with season lengths as well. Thanks for that!
– Sora Tamashii
1 hour ago
Ooh! Of course it's good practice hear to wait 24 hours before accepting an answer, but I like this! Not only could this explain it within reason, it'd also explain inconsistency with season lengths as well. Thanks for that!
– Sora Tamashii
1 hour ago
Ooh! Of course it's good practice hear to wait 24 hours before accepting an answer, but I like this! Not only could this explain it within reason, it'd also explain inconsistency with season lengths as well. Thanks for that!
– Sora Tamashii
1 hour ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
3
down vote
The reason we have four seasons is directly related to our planet's axial tilt... the rotational axis of the Earth is currently [1] inclined at 23.5° from the "vertical" relative to our orbital plane: Summer is the season in which a given hemisphere is tilted more towards the sun, Winter is the season in which a given hemisphere is tilted away, and Spring and Autumn are the transitional periods between those states.
This is why solstices and equinoxes are so valuable in marking seasonal time: they represent the maxima, minima and midpoints of the values of day/night length for the given hemisphere.
If a planet precessed (its axial til relative to orbit shifting through the course of time - visualise here a spinning top tipped at an angle and that angle rotating round as the top spins) at exactly the correct fractional rate relative to its orbital period (year), it would be expected to then have two or three or four sets of repeated seasons through the course of a single year.
Bear in mind that we have observed planets with differing levels of precession of their axial tilt, and we have some good theories about the long-term stability of such situations, but we don't have long term observations with enough detail to point at concrete examples - that said, precession-based multi-seasonality would most likely be far more stable than the earlier-mentioned false seasons via cyclic weather pattern given a similar atmospheric density and composition to our own.
Given that our planet precesses (look up the precession of the Equinoxes for details) in a cycle of about 25,000 years, you could readily posit a planet whose precession speed was faster than its orbital period - giving your planet multiple seasons per year. If you are comfortable delving into this in more depth, you could posit your planet being in a period of some orbital instability around its primary[2], in which case both the orbital period and the precession periods would be in flux, and the precession might not only fluctuate in period but in vector (visualise your spinning top slowing down and the chunk of time in which it appears to almost flip around to and fro as the precession becomes unstable) and you'd have a supremely unstable set of seasons - almost aperiodic - and given we're positing this based on main orbital instability, you might have solar flares, changes in solar radiation received as distance to primary fluctuates, gravitational and magnetic storms and fluctutations - you could go for some pretty severe, apocalyptic level climactic chaos here.
I will leave it to some of the physics minded folks to give you the orbital mechanics maths details, as I know my physics studies and practical usage are now far behind me; statics I still use, but physics per se - juuuust the core concepts these days!
Hope this helps.
[1] This value changes slightly over time in a range between ~ 22.1° and 24.5°
[2] Orbits can collapse due to other orbital bodies being disrupted (asteroid impact) or coming apart (our solar system's asteroid belt was most likely once a planet) or due to direct interaction with other bodies - say a large passing comet moves past your planet with a very close approach, or due to changes in the primary itself (new mass added due to another satellite's orbital decay being severe enough to allow impact & merger) or even just tidal gravity effects robbing your planet of orbital velocity.
answered 1 hour ago
GerardFalla
2,759418
This would also explain how we still have multiples of the holidays at consistent intervals. Thank you! :)
– Sora Tamashii
1 hour ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
3
down vote
The reason we have four seasons is directly related to our planet's axial tilt... the rotational axis of the Earth is currently [1] inclined at 23.5° from the "vertical" relative to our orbital plane: Summer is the season in which a given hemisphere is tilted more towards the sun, Winter is the season in which a given hemisphere is tilted away, and Spring and Autumn are the transitional periods between those states.
This is why solstices and equinoxes are so valuable in marking seasonal time: they represent the maxima, minima and midpoints of the values of day/night length for the given hemisphere.
If a planet precessed (its axial til relative to orbit shifting through the course of time - visualise here a spinning top tipped at an angle and that angle rotating round as the top spins) at exactly the correct fractional rate relative to its orbital period (year), it would be expected to then have two or three or four sets of repeated seasons through the course of a single year.
Bear in mind that we have observed planets with differing levels of precession of their axial tilt, and we have some good theories about the long-term stability of such situations, but we don't have long term observations with enough detail to point at concrete examples - that said, precession-based multi-seasonality would most likely be far more stable than the earlier-mentioned false seasons via cyclic weather pattern given a similar atmospheric density and composition to our own.
Given that our planet precesses (look up the precession of the Equinoxes for details) in a cycle of about 25,000 years, you could readily posit a planet whose precession speed was faster than its orbital period - giving your planet multiple seasons per year. If you are comfortable delving into this in more depth, you could posit your planet being in a period of some orbital instability around its primary[2], in which case both the orbital period and the precession periods would be in flux, and the precession might not only fluctuate in period but in vector (visualise your spinning top slowing down and the chunk of time in which it appears to almost flip around to and fro as the precession becomes unstable) and you'd have a supremely unstable set of seasons - almost aperiodic - and given we're positing this based on main orbital instability, you might have solar flares, changes in solar radiation received as distance to primary fluctuates, gravitational and magnetic storms and fluctutations - you could go for some pretty severe, apocalyptic level climactic chaos here.
I will leave it to some of the physics minded folks to give you the orbital mechanics maths details, as I know my physics studies and practical usage are now far behind me; statics I still use, but physics per se - juuuust the core concepts these days!
Hope this helps.
[1] This value changes slightly over time in a range between ~ 22.1° and 24.5°
[2] Orbits can collapse due to other orbital bodies being disrupted (asteroid impact) or coming apart (our solar system's asteroid belt was most likely once a planet) or due to direct interaction with other bodies - say a large passing comet moves past your planet with a very close approach, or due to changes in the primary itself (new mass added due to another satellite's orbital decay being severe enough to allow impact & merger) or even just tidal gravity effects robbing your planet of orbital velocity.
answered 1 hour ago
GerardFalla
2,759418
This would also explain how we still have multiples of the holidays at consistent intervals. Thank you! :)
– Sora Tamashii
1 hour ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
3
down vote
up vote
3
down vote
The reason we have four seasons is directly related to our planet's axial tilt... the rotational axis of the Earth is currently [1] inclined at 23.5° from the "vertical" relative to our orbital plane: Summer is the season in which a given hemisphere is tilted more towards the sun, Winter is the season in which a given hemisphere is tilted away, and Spring and Autumn are the transitional periods between those states.
This is why solstices and equinoxes are so valuable in marking seasonal time: they represent the maxima, minima and midpoints of the values of day/night length for the given hemisphere.
If a planet precessed (its axial til relative to orbit shifting through the course of time - visualise here a spinning top tipped at an angle and that angle rotating round as the top spins) at exactly the correct fractional rate relative to its orbital period (year), it would be expected to then have two or three or four sets of repeated seasons through the course of a single year.
Bear in mind that we have observed planets with differing levels of precession of their axial tilt, and we have some good theories about the long-term stability of such situations, but we don't have long term observations with enough detail to point at concrete examples - that said, precession-based multi-seasonality would most likely be far more stable than the earlier-mentioned false seasons via cyclic weather pattern given a similar atmospheric density and composition to our own.
Given that our planet precesses (look up the precession of the Equinoxes for details) in a cycle of about 25,000 years, you could readily posit a planet whose precession speed was faster than its orbital period - giving your planet multiple seasons per year. If you are comfortable delving into this in more depth, you could posit your planet being in a period of some orbital instability around its primary[2], in which case both the orbital period and the precession periods would be in flux, and the precession might not only fluctuate in period but in vector (visualise your spinning top slowing down and the chunk of time in which it appears to almost flip around to and fro as the precession becomes unstable) and you'd have a supremely unstable set of seasons - almost aperiodic - and given we're positing this based on main orbital instability, you might have solar flares, changes in solar radiation received as distance to primary fluctuates, gravitational and magnetic storms and fluctutations - you could go for some pretty severe, apocalyptic level climactic chaos here.
I will leave it to some of the physics minded folks to give you the orbital mechanics maths details, as I know my physics studies and practical usage are now far behind me; statics I still use, but physics per se - juuuust the core concepts these days!
Hope this helps.
[1] This value changes slightly over time in a range between ~ 22.1° and 24.5°
[2] Orbits can collapse due to other orbital bodies being disrupted (asteroid impact) or coming apart (our solar system's asteroid belt was most likely once a planet) or due to direct interaction with other bodies - say a large passing comet moves past your planet with a very close approach, or due to changes in the primary itself (new mass added due to another satellite's orbital decay being severe enough to allow impact & merger) or even just tidal gravity effects robbing your planet of orbital velocity.
answered 1 hour ago
GerardFalla
2,759418
The reason we have four seasons is directly related to our planet's axial tilt... the rotational axis of the Earth is currently [1] inclined at 23.5° from the "vertical" relative to our orbital plane: Summer is the season in which a given hemisphere is tilted more towards the sun, Winter is the season in which a given hemisphere is tilted away, and Spring and Autumn are the transitional periods between those states.
This is why solstices and equinoxes are so valuable in marking seasonal time: they represent the maxima, minima and midpoints of the values of day/night length for the given hemisphere.
If a planet precessed (its axial til relative to orbit shifting through the course of time - visualise here a spinning top tipped at an angle and that angle rotating round as the top spins) at exactly the correct fractional rate relative to its orbital period (year), it would be expected to then have two or three or four sets of repeated seasons through the course of a single year.
Bear in mind that we have observed planets with differing levels of precession of their axial tilt, and we have some good theories about the long-term stability of such situations, but we don't have long term observations with enough detail to point at concrete examples - that said, precession-based multi-seasonality would most likely be far more stable than the earlier-mentioned false seasons via cyclic weather pattern given a similar atmospheric density and composition to our own.
Given that our planet precesses (look up the precession of the Equinoxes for details) in a cycle of about 25,000 years, you could readily posit a planet whose precession speed was faster than its orbital period - giving your planet multiple seasons per year. If you are comfortable delving into this in more depth, you could posit your planet being in a period of some orbital instability around its primary[2], in which case both the orbital period and the precession periods would be in flux, and the precession might not only fluctuate in period but in vector (visualise your spinning top slowing down and the chunk of time in which it appears to almost flip around to and fro as the precession becomes unstable) and you'd have a supremely unstable set of seasons - almost aperiodic - and given we're positing this based on main orbital instability, you might have solar flares, changes in solar radiation received as distance to primary fluctuates, gravitational and magnetic storms and fluctutations - you could go for some pretty severe, apocalyptic level climactic chaos here.
I will leave it to some of the physics minded folks to give you the orbital mechanics maths details, as I know my physics studies and practical usage are now far behind me; statics I still use, but physics per se - juuuust the core concepts these days!
Hope this helps.
[1] This value changes slightly over time in a range between ~ 22.1° and 24.5°
[2] Orbits can collapse due to other orbital bodies being disrupted (asteroid impact) or coming apart (our solar system's asteroid belt was most likely once a planet) or due to direct interaction with other bodies - say a large passing comet moves past your planet with a very close approach, or due to changes in the primary itself (new mass added due to another satellite's orbital decay being severe enough to allow impact & merger) or even just tidal gravity effects robbing your planet of orbital velocity.
answered 1 hour ago
GerardFalla
2,759418
edited 59 mins ago
answered 1 hour ago
GerardFalla
2,759418
answered 1 hour ago
GerardFalla
2,759418
answered 1 hour ago
GerardFalla
2,759418
2,759418
This would also explain how we still have multiples of the holidays at consistent intervals. Thank you! :)
– Sora Tamashii
1 hour ago
add a comment |Â
This would also explain how we still have multiples of the holidays at consistent intervals. Thank you! :)
– Sora Tamashii
1 hour ago
This would also explain how we still have multiples of the holidays at consistent intervals. Thank you! :)
– Sora Tamashii
1 hour ago
This would also explain how we still have multiples of the holidays at consistent intervals. Thank you! :)
– Sora Tamashii
1 hour ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
There are two ways this could happen.
A star system composed of infinite cylinders will do the trick in some arrangements. This is discussed at length in this question:
Seasons on Infinite Cylinder Planet
A flat Earth whose sun orbits the disc will have two of each season per full rotation of the disc. Discworld is the classical example:
Since the disc's tiny orbiting sunlet maintains a fixed orbit while the majestic disc turns slowly beneath it, it will be readily deduced that a disc year consists of not four but eight seasons. The summers are those times when the sun rises or sets at the nearest point on the Rim, the winters those occasions when it rises or sets at a point around ninety degrees along the circumference.
(...)
Since the Hub is never closely warmed by the weak sun the lands there are locked in permafrost. The Rim, on the other hand, is a region of sunny islands and balmy days.
Precisely why all the above should be so is not clear, but goes some way to explain why, on the disc, the Gods are not so much worshipped as blamed.
answered 1 hour ago
Renan
37.2k1184188
I should edit in my post that we are a globe, but I do appreciate this input. I hadn't considered that at the time. Also I'm not sure how I feel about an ICP planet. A few ICP fans at a given time are enough. :P (ICP being a band. I'm making a joke. Don't overanalyze. lol)
– Sora Tamashii
1 hour ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
There are two ways this could happen.
A star system composed of infinite cylinders will do the trick in some arrangements. This is discussed at length in this question:
Seasons on Infinite Cylinder Planet
A flat Earth whose sun orbits the disc will have two of each season per full rotation of the disc. Discworld is the classical example:
Since the disc's tiny orbiting sunlet maintains a fixed orbit while the majestic disc turns slowly beneath it, it will be readily deduced that a disc year consists of not four but eight seasons. The summers are those times when the sun rises or sets at the nearest point on the Rim, the winters those occasions when it rises or sets at a point around ninety degrees along the circumference.
(...)
Since the Hub is never closely warmed by the weak sun the lands there are locked in permafrost. The Rim, on the other hand, is a region of sunny islands and balmy days.
Precisely why all the above should be so is not clear, but goes some way to explain why, on the disc, the Gods are not so much worshipped as blamed.
answered 1 hour ago
Renan
37.2k1184188
I should edit in my post that we are a globe, but I do appreciate this input. I hadn't considered that at the time. Also I'm not sure how I feel about an ICP planet. A few ICP fans at a given time are enough. :P (ICP being a band. I'm making a joke. Don't overanalyze. lol)
– Sora Tamashii
1 hour ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
up vote
1
down vote
There are two ways this could happen.
A star system composed of infinite cylinders will do the trick in some arrangements. This is discussed at length in this question:
Seasons on Infinite Cylinder Planet
A flat Earth whose sun orbits the disc will have two of each season per full rotation of the disc. Discworld is the classical example:
Since the disc's tiny orbiting sunlet maintains a fixed orbit while the majestic disc turns slowly beneath it, it will be readily deduced that a disc year consists of not four but eight seasons. The summers are those times when the sun rises or sets at the nearest point on the Rim, the winters those occasions when it rises or sets at a point around ninety degrees along the circumference.
(...)
Since the Hub is never closely warmed by the weak sun the lands there are locked in permafrost. The Rim, on the other hand, is a region of sunny islands and balmy days.
Precisely why all the above should be so is not clear, but goes some way to explain why, on the disc, the Gods are not so much worshipped as blamed.
answered 1 hour ago
Renan
37.2k1184188
There are two ways this could happen.
A star system composed of infinite cylinders will do the trick in some arrangements. This is discussed at length in this question:
Seasons on Infinite Cylinder Planet
A flat Earth whose sun orbits the disc will have two of each season per full rotation of the disc. Discworld is the classical example:
Since the disc's tiny orbiting sunlet maintains a fixed orbit while the majestic disc turns slowly beneath it, it will be readily deduced that a disc year consists of not four but eight seasons. The summers are those times when the sun rises or sets at the nearest point on the Rim, the winters those occasions when it rises or sets at a point around ninety degrees along the circumference.
(...)
Since the Hub is never closely warmed by the weak sun the lands there are locked in permafrost. The Rim, on the other hand, is a region of sunny islands and balmy days.
Precisely why all the above should be so is not clear, but goes some way to explain why, on the disc, the Gods are not so much worshipped as blamed.
answered 1 hour ago
Renan
37.2k1184188
answered 1 hour ago
Renan
37.2k1184188
answered 1 hour ago
Renan
37.2k1184188
answered 1 hour ago
Renan
37.2k1184188
37.2k1184188
I should edit in my post that we are a globe, but I do appreciate this input. I hadn't considered that at the time. Also I'm not sure how I feel about an ICP planet. A few ICP fans at a given time are enough. :P (ICP being a band. I'm making a joke. Don't overanalyze. lol)
– Sora Tamashii
1 hour ago
add a comment |Â
I should edit in my post that we are a globe, but I do appreciate this input. I hadn't considered that at the time. Also I'm not sure how I feel about an ICP planet. A few ICP fans at a given time are enough. :P (ICP being a band. I'm making a joke. Don't overanalyze. lol)
– Sora Tamashii
1 hour ago
I should edit in my post that we are a globe, but I do appreciate this input. I hadn't considered that at the time. Also I'm not sure how I feel about an ICP planet. A few ICP fans at a given time are enough. :P (ICP being a band. I'm making a joke. Don't overanalyze. lol)
– Sora Tamashii
1 hour ago
I should edit in my post that we are a globe, but I do appreciate this input. I hadn't considered that at the time. Also I'm not sure how I feel about an ICP planet. A few ICP fans at a given time are enough. :P (ICP being a band. I'm making a joke. Don't overanalyze. lol)
– Sora Tamashii
1 hour ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
The planet has no axial tilt.
But it anyway has seasons, because:
The star it orbits arount is an intrinsic variable star, it changes its size and brightness periodically, causing seasons that may repeat multiple times per year, since the star may change its brightness multiple times per year.
Variable star at different times:
therefore, differing from earth, on this planet, seasons are the same on both hemispheres.
answered 23 mins ago
KGM
4466
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
The planet has no axial tilt.
But it anyway has seasons, because:
The star it orbits arount is an intrinsic variable star, it changes its size and brightness periodically, causing seasons that may repeat multiple times per year, since the star may change its brightness multiple times per year.
Variable star at different times:
therefore, differing from earth, on this planet, seasons are the same on both hemispheres.
answered 23 mins ago
KGM
4466
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
up vote
1
down vote
The planet has no axial tilt.
But it anyway has seasons, because:
The star it orbits arount is an intrinsic variable star, it changes its size and brightness periodically, causing seasons that may repeat multiple times per year, since the star may change its brightness multiple times per year.
Variable star at different times:
therefore, differing from earth, on this planet, seasons are the same on both hemispheres.
answered 23 mins ago
KGM
4466
The planet has no axial tilt.
But it anyway has seasons, because:
The star it orbits arount is an intrinsic variable star, it changes its size and brightness periodically, causing seasons that may repeat multiple times per year, since the star may change its brightness multiple times per year.
Variable star at different times:
therefore, differing from earth, on this planet, seasons are the same on both hemispheres.
answered 23 mins ago
KGM
4466
edited 16 mins ago
answered 23 mins ago
KGM
4466
answered 23 mins ago
KGM
4466
answered 23 mins ago
KGM
4466
4466
add a comment |Â
add a comment |Â
Sora Tamashii is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Sora Tamashii is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Sora Tamashii is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
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Hi Sora. The science tag is for science in general, or the perception of science, within a fictional world. (See the tag description.) I don't think it applies to your question, so I have removed it.
– Î± CVn♦
1 hour ago
I was actually debating between science and science-based, because I wanted to know based on a scientific reasoning as opposed to just hearing "magic". I do appreciate the explanation as to why you did so. What tag would you recommend to express that then?
– Sora Tamashii
1 hour ago
2
From very early in the site's life, our default stance has been that answers should be based in science and/or logic unless the question explicitly allows for magic. So you should be fine. science is for questions about science within a fictional world; science-based can be used to explicitly say that you want answers based on science, but don't require scientific citations. Generally, I think it's better to simply state your requirements in the question text, rather than relying on tags to express such constraints.
– Î± CVn♦
1 hour ago
Depends on whether you define seasons astronomically (by axial tilt), or by weather. Hereabouts (east side of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, North American continent of planet Earth) it is quite possible to go through all four weather seasons in a single day :-) E.g. spring showers in the early morning, summery swimsuit weather around noon, winter snow in the afternoon, and autumn frost at night.
– jamesqf
18 mins ago