How do summers differ between Earth's hemispheres?

Each year, Earth's Northern and Southern hemispheres cycle through four seasons, including summer.

Given that the hemispheres are symmetric about the equator, you may think that, on both sides of the world, summers should be similar – both in terms of their climate and factors like their length. But are Northern and Southern hemisphere summers really the same?

Climate experts tell Live Science that they differ quite a bit — and that comes with a clear recommendation for sun enthusiasts.

The most obvious difference is that Northern and Southern summers happen at different times. According to NASA, this arises because Earth's axis is tilted 23.4 degrees relative to the plane of our planet's orbit around the sun.

This tilt causes the Northern and Southern hemispheres to be oriented toward the sun at different times throughout the year. Between the Northern Hemisphere's summer solstice and autumnal equinox, the Northern Hemisphere is oriented toward the sun, resulting in summer, and vice versa i...