 The axial tilt of the Earth is approximately 23 @.@ 439281 ° . Due to Earth 's axial tilt , the amount of sunlight reaching any given point on the surface varies over the course of the year . This causes seasonal change in climate , with summer in the northern hemisphere occurring when the North Pole is pointing toward the Sun , and winter taking place when the pole is pointed away . During the summer , the day lasts longer and the Sun climbs higher in the sky . In winter , the climate becomes generally cooler and the days shorter . In northern temperate latitudes , the Sun rises north of true east during the summer solstice , and sets north of true west , reversing in the winter . The Sun rises south of true east in the summer for the southern temperate zone , and sets south of true west . 
