Why Some Countries Have 20+ Hour Days | Earth’s Tilt Explained

Added: 2026-05-24

[00:00:02]Hello Chitti. Hello Joju. What is it, Joju? My friend in Germany said even when it is already 8:00 p.m. there, but they can see the sun is still shining outside.

[00:00:12]>> Wow.

[00:00:14]What? [music] 8:00 p.m. and still daytime? Yes. Here it becomes dark much earlier. How is that possible? Maybe their clocks are wrong. I don't think so, Joju. Then why does the sun stay longer there? Hmm. This sounds like a science mystery. Should we ask Professor? [music] Come fast. Let's go ask him right now. Professor, we have a doubt.

[00:00:32]>> Ah, Chitti and Joju. What is today's big doubt?

[00:00:36]>> Professor, in Germany it is 8:00 p.m.

[00:00:37]but the sun is still there. Why?

[00:00:39]Excellent question, Joju. [music] It happens because Earth is tilted.

[00:00:44]>> Tilted? Like a leaning top? Exactly.

[00:00:47]>> [music] >> Earth is tilted about 23.5° while moving around the sun. But how does that make Germany a sunny for longer? In May, [music] the northern part of Earth slowly tilts toward the sun.

[00:01:00]Germany is in the northern hemisphere, so it gets sunlight for more hours. Oh, ooh. So their daytime becomes longer.

[00:01:08]Correct. And at the same time, nights become shorter. Then does this happen all year? No, Joju. The longest day usually comes during something called the June solstice. [music] Solstice?

[00:01:22]What is that?

[00:01:24]A solstice happens when one side of Earth is tilted the most toward the sun.

[00:01:29]In June, the northern hemisphere gets the longest day of the year.

[00:01:34]>> Wow. So Germany gets very long days then? Yes. Some places even see sunlight very late at night. There's one more interesting thing. In summer, the sun also rises [music] from a different angle in the sky.

[00:01:47]>> Different angle?

[00:01:49]The sun changes its path, too? Yes.

[00:01:53]During May and June in places like Germany, the sun rises more toward the northeast [music] and travels a longer path across the sky.

[00:02:00]That means it stays visible for more time. Exactly.

[00:02:05]>> [music] >> In winter, the sun takes a shorter path, so days become shorter. Wow!

[00:02:11]>> [music] >> So, Earth's tilt changes both the sunlight time and the sun's path.

[00:02:16]Now I understand, Professor. [music] Germany has longer days in May because the Northern Hemisphere is tilting toward the sun. And during the June solstice, they get the longest day of the year.

[00:02:30]Excellent. You both understood it perfectly.

[00:02:33]Thank you, Professor. [music] Your explanations always make science easy. Yes. Now when I see [music] late sunsets, I'll remember Earth's tilt.

[00:02:43]Keep asking questions. That's how great scientists are made. Let me ask you another question.

[00:02:50]Do you know why we always see only one side of the moon and never the other side from Earth?