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Earth seasons are caused because the Earth rotates on an axis that's titled 23 degrees from the orbital plane of the Earth's orbit around the sun.

Just as with a spinning top the axis of the Earth's rotation wobbles a bit making a complete Axial Precession once every 26,000 years or so. Some speculate that Ice Ages are caused in part by this variation.

Whatever planet George R.R. Martin's A Game of Thrones is set on could be affected by being on a planet where that variation in that wobble is more frequent than on Earth.

It's possible. But I think we are supposed to read the seasons as more like metaphors than actual seasons.

There are a number of ways the seasons could be so strange in the ASoIaF world, and axial procession is possibly one of them. Two points against this idea, though:

One: A natural phenomenon like axial procession would be more or less predictable. But the seasons in Westeros are completely unpredictable.

Two: GRRM has specifically said that the problem with the seasons is magical in nature. Presumably, the reason will be revealed in the last book.

Mitali wrote: "There are a number of ways the seasons could be so strange in the ASoIaF world, and axial procession is possibly one of them. Two points against this idea, though:

One: A natural phenomenon like ..."

Magical is kind of what I meant. The seasons symbolize the struggles and changes in the story.

Or maybe they just have a really crappy sun.

In other words, Stephen, no, no one else was wondering if it was caused by Axial Procession ;)

I just assumed that the rotation around the sun was very, very, very slow and somewhat variable, but I never really gave it a lot of thought.

From what I've seeen, this kind of weird periodic weather only affects that continent, so the magical explanation is more likely

There's been no indication either way about how the seasons effect Essos.

I just accepted the fact they live in a different world that operates by different rules.

Eric wrote: "From what I've seeen, this kind of weird periodic weather only affects that continent, so the magical explanation is more likely"

Matthew wrote: "There's been no indication either way about how the seasons effect Essos."

Essos seems to be experiencing autumn as well in ADWD, with winter approaching - for instance, Dany notices in her last chapter of that book that the grass in the Dothraki sea is dying. It's not clear whether this is a normal (i.e. earthlike) winter or the magical super-winter as in Westeros.

But in any case, Essos would not be as badly affected by winter as Westeros. Even the northernmost parts of Essos (Braavos, Ibben) are at the same latitude as the Vale in Westeros, and the southernmost (Slaver's Bay, Volantis) are even further south than Dorne (where it doesn't even snow in winter). The interior regions (the Dothraki sea) which would be worst affected by winter are populated mainly by the Dothraki, who presumably move south in winter. So probably, even a super-winter would not trouble most parts of Essos as much as it would Westeros.

Mitali wrote: "Eric wrote: "From what I've seeen, this kind of weird periodic weather only affects that continent, so the magical explanation is more likely"

Matthew wrote: "There's been no indication either way..."

Well observed. And very detailed (I mean very!) I do have one thought to add. The Summer Islands, so named because in their geographical location in the south seas between Westeros and Essos, they are perennial experiencing warm, sunny weather?

In the upcoming DC/GOT crossover comic, it will be revealed that Superman once traveled through a cosmic vortex to Westeros, got pissed off at how they treated each other, and punched the planet off its axis to give them super-long winters.


Not really, but wouldn't that be awesome?

Perhaps we are supposed to believe that the summers and winters are caused by a battle between R'hllor and the Other with the Summer Islands and Essos more in R'hllor's grip and Westeros as a battleground.

I never realized that Winter might be affecting Westeros only or to a greater extent than the rest of the world.... Interesting. Very interesting. Nice thread, folks. Kudos all around.

With all that in mind, if one were looking for some sort of astronomical influence, I think one would have to throw in some dark planetary body on a wild elliptical orbit--maybe even two--in order to justify the unpredictability of the seasons. If there were some sort of eclipsing effect from a possible third dark body then one could have this strange, unpredictable Winter.

Of course, that doesn't explain why it would be affecting Westeros more than the rest of the planet, so... magic. Still, it's an interesting speculation.

There's a video that tries to explain the science behind the series. It's interesting. The seasons specifically are addressed at about 1:10