In the Midwest of the United States, the sun feels hot in July but seems weak and pale in January. The quality of the sunlight is so different that it is tempting to say:

The sun is closer to Earth in summer than it is in winter.

Questions

1. What season (that is, winter, spring, summer, and fall)
is it in January in the midwestern United States? What season is it in January in Australia?
2. What is “solar irradiance”?
3. How does the tilt of Earth’s axis affect solar irradiance in January compared with July in the Midwest? How about in Australia?
4. Is the sun closer to Earth when it is summer in Australia?
5. Reflect on your answers to questions 1–4 and explain why the statement bolded sounds right, but isn’t.