Final answer:
During Northern Hemisphere winter, Earth's axis is tilting away from the Sun. This tilt, rather than Earth's distance from the Sun, is what causes the seasonal changes, with winters being more severe in the Northern Hemisphere when the Earth is actually closest to the Sun.
Step-by-step explanation:
During the winter in the Northern Hemisphere, Earth's axis is tilting away from the Sun. This axis tilt is responsible for the seasonal changes we experience, including the winter scenario depicted in the student's picture. On December 21, which is the date of the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, the North Pole experiences 24 hours of darkness, while the South Pole is illuminated, indicating that the Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the Sun while the Southern Hemisphere tilts towards it. This tilt is consistent throughout the year, as the Earth orbits the Sun, with the axis always pointing to the same patch of sky, near the star Polaris. This consistent axis orientation, paired with the Earth's orbit, leads to the alternating seasons across hemispheres.
It's a common misconception that the seasons are due to the Earth's varying distance from the Sun, but in fact the Earth is closest to the Sun during Northern Hemisphere winter, showing that the tilt of Earth's axis is the primary factor for seasonal changes. In approximately 13,000 years, due to the axial precession, the Earth's tilt will be opposite, making the Northern winters more severe and potentially triggering climatic shifts such as ice ages.