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ANSWERS: 2
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Positon of the sun to earth (distance as well as angle and our rotation around the sun), earths rotation on its axis, and your location on earth. The equinox, which is usually close to the first day of Spring and the first day of Autumn, is the day(s) that are equal in length of time of day and night. (12 hours day, 12 hours night).
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Earth rotates about its axis. This is the imaginary line that connects the North and South poles. This rotation is what causes the day-night cycle. However, Earth's axis is not perpendicular to the plane of its orbit. It is actually tilted 23.5° off of perpendicular. Because of this, as Earth orbits the Sun, its orientation on the Sun changes. During the summer, the portion of the Earth that is experiencing summer is tilted toward the Sun. So, it gets longer days. During the winter, the portion of the Earth that is experiencing winter is tilted toward the Sun. So, it gets shorter days. Just how much variation you get in the length of a day from summer to winter will depend on one's latitude.
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