The Earth revolves around the sun while rotating on its tilted axis, causing seasons. It takes 365 days for the Earth to orbit the sun and 24 hours to complete one rotation. The tilt of the Earth's axis, combined with its yearly orbit, results in varying intensities of sunlight over the course of the year, producing the four seasons. During the spring and fall equinoxes, day and night are equal lengths as the sun's rays directly hit the equator. In summer, the north pole leans toward the sun bringing longer days, and in winter it leans away resulting in longer nights. Many cultures celebrate the arrival of spring as a time of renewal and rebirth after winter.