This 20 minute video explains how variations in Earth’s orbital patterns affect climate. It highlights how changes in the shape of Earth’s orbit (eccentricity), the tilt angle of the Earth’s rotational axis (obliquity), and the direction of Earth’s axis of rotation (precession) impact how much solar radiation the Earth’s receives and where it hits the Earth’s surface.

These three parameters drive natural climate cycles on vast geologic time scales, but are not responsible for modern day warming over the last 200 years due to industrialization and human activities.