The Ecliptic
The axis of the Earths rotation is inclined to the Earths orbit around the Sun, so the Sun appears higer in the sky at some times of the year - summer - than at other times - winter. In the northern hemisphere, the days are longer than the nights from the time when the Sun rises above the celestial equator, on or near to the 20th March, to the time when the Sun falls below it, between the 22nd and the 24 th September. The length of the day is greatest at the Summer Solstice,when the Sun is higher is the sky at noon, and least at the Winter Solstice, when the Sun is lowest in the sky at noon.