question: What happens at the equator? answer: It's always summer. paragraph: The Earth is tilted 23 1/2 on its axis. This means that as the Earth rotates, one hemisphere has longer days with shorter nights. At the same time the other hemisphere has shorter days and longer nights. For example, in the Northern hemisphere summer begins on June 21. On this date, the North Pole is pointed directly toward the Sun. This is the longest day and shortest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. The South Pole is pointed The hemisphere that is tilted away from the Sun is cooler because it receives fewer direct rays. As Earth orbits the Sun, the Northern Hemisphere goes from winter to spring, then summer and fall. The Southern Hemisphere does the opposite from summer to fall to winter to spring. When it is winter in the Northern hemisphere, it is summer in the Southern hemisphere, and vice versa. What does this mean for you? If you live in North America, July 1 is usually a very warm day. If you traveled to Southern Australia, you would need a heavy coat. At the equator, the seasons never change. As a result, the average daily temperatures remain the same. There is no summer and winter as we know them. 