We're lucky enough to have winters because the earth's plane of rotation is tilted relative

很幸運地我們有冬天，因為地球的旋轉面偏移了軌道

to its orbit. This means that when part of the earth is tilted towards the sun, the sun

也就是說，某部分的地球比較靠近太陽

stays in the sky for a longer amount of time each day, and it's warm out. Summer! Of course,

每天接收到的陽光變多，越來越暖和，也就是夏天了

when that part of the earth is tilted away from the sun, the sun is lower in the sky

同樣原理，離太陽比較遠的那部分，太陽比較低

and doesn't stay up as long. This might make winter darker, but you can think of it as

且日照時間短，導致冬天比較昏暗，

bonus time pointing towards interstellar space! And, as I said before, winter has the best

但也可以想成有更多時間欣賞夜空，就像我前面所說，

full moons.

冬天最適合觀月了

The moon is new when it's on the same side of the earth as the sun, and it doesn't reflect

當月亮介於地球和太陽之間時是新月，月亮不會反射陽光

any light on us. This also means the new moon generally mirrors the sun on its journey across

也就是說，新月反映了太陽的軌跡

the sky - it more or less rises and sets with the sun and follows a similar path. On the

月亮跟著太陽相似的軌跡升起落下

other hand, the moon is full when it's on the opposite side of the earth from the sun,

另一方面，月球和太陽分別在地球的兩側時，就是滿月

its whole face reflecting the sun's light back at us.

月球反射太陽光

Because of this opposite position, a full moon is only ever up at night, rising at sunset

因月亮跟太陽處相反位置，滿月只會在日落時升起

and setting at sunrise, and it consequently also behaves the way the sun does in the opposite

日出時落下，滿月會跟太陽一樣運作，但剛好季節相反

season. When a part of the earth is tilted towards the full moon, it's tilted away from

地球接近滿月的部分，會比較遠離太陽

the sun - and vice versa. So a summer full moon is like a winter sun - only appearing

反之亦然。所以夏天的滿月就像冬天的太陽

for a few hours and staying close to the horizon. But a winter full moon is like a summer sun

只會出現幾小時，而且離地平線很近。但是冬天的滿月就像夏天的太陽

- it's up for a long time and takes a high path through the sky. In the darkest months,

會高高掛在天上一段時間。在天色最暗的那幾個月

the moon, at least when it's full, gives us long, beautifully lit nights. Combined with

夜空被滿月點亮

a quiet blanket of snow and the shimmering aurora, how can you not love winter?

積雪靜靜鋪在山頭，伴隨著閃爍的極光，叫人如何不愛冬天呢？