odd temperature system

[Asura Levi]

I know when it comes to fantasy an author can basically do 'anything', but I don't like when things just doesn't make any sense at all.

So, I have to ask: that is any remotely acceptable way to have a world with the polar region hot and the equatorial area cold? Besides 'a wizard did it'?

I thought in maybe having the world caught between a binary system, with a vertical spin, but then that will be no day/night cycle.

If anyone has any clues how to go make it believable, please, come forward.

Also, I'm probably not developing this any further than the initial concept (I like to create but once it gets an initial shape, I lose interest), anyone is free to use this idea in any published work. I only ask you refer to this forum/comunity in your acknowledgement/thanks page.

Thank you all.

 

[ThinkerX]

A 'twilight ring' world, perhaps, where one pole is always pointed towards the sun. That side gets hot, the equatorial region is more temperate, and the night side is colder than Antarctica.

Might still work if the axial tilt was something like 70 degrees, which would give the people in the equatorial regions a quasi normal day/night cycle.

 

[arbiter117]

A black hole between the star and the planet that sucks up all the heat that would hit the equator and bends the rest of the light to the poles. (Probably wouldn't happen, and if there was a black hole, the planet probably wouldn't exist anymore)

 

[Sheilawisz]

Hello Asura Levi, I have some ideas that could explain the type of setting that you are describing. It's interesting to think about such a planet, it would be a nice setting for a Fantasy story.

1- The equatorial regions would be very cold because of high elevation above sea level.

People always think of latitude's effect on weather and temperatures, but they often forget how powerful altitude can be. You can have snow-capped mountains and glaciers at the equator if the elevation is high enough, so maybe the low latitudes of such a world would be composed by a planet-wide chain of highlands and mountains.

2- The polar regions would be hot because of ultra-energetic Aurora phenomenon.

You could explain that your planet suffers from very intense solar winds, which cause auroras so powerful that they actually heat up the higher latitudes to reach temperatures unknown in Earth.

How about that?

 

[K.S. Crooks]

If the world is a moon of another planet the poles could be tilted towards the planet and absorb heat reflected from the planet and the star in that system. The poles could have heat absorbing materials at the poles and little at the equator. If the planet had oceans at the equator and black earth and volcanoes at the poles then it could be warmer there, the way Iceland is warm due to volcanic activity. The inhabitants could have terra formed the planet to channel core heat or redirect sunlight to the poles. Have fun with your idea.

 

[2WayParadox]

The cold regions on our planet are mostly determined by the angle at which the radiation of the sun hits and how much of it lands every year. Sure there are a lot of other factors, but those are of secondary importance. The only reason why this is so important is because the Earth spins around the sun horizontally.

Now, if the Earth were to spin around the sun vertically, that would mean that the polar regions would be at the sides of the planet. So basically you would turn the Earth climate system 90 degrees.

 

[Asura Levi]

Hello Asura Levi, I have some ideas that could explain the type of setting that you are describing. It's interesting to think about such a planet, it would be a nice setting for a Fantasy story.

1- The equatorial regions would be very cold because of high elevation above sea level.

People always think of latitude's effect on weather and temperatures, but they often forget how powerful altitude can be. You can have snow-capped mountains and glaciers at the equator if the elevation is high enough, so maybe the low latitudes of such a world would be composed by a planet-wide chain of highlands and mountains.

2- The polar regions would be hot because of ultra-energetic Aurora phenomenon.

You could explain that your planet suffers from very intense solar winds, which cause auroras so powerful that they actually heat up the higher latitudes to reach temperatures unknown in Earth.

How about that?

The Aurora effect is interesting.
As of the high altitudes, that will be constant only if that is a mountain ring in the equatorial area, an idea I do not favour.

The cold regions on our planet are mostly determined by the angle at which the radiation of the sun hits and how much of it lands every year. Sure there are a lot of other factors, but those are of secondary importance. The only reason why this is so important is because the Earth spins around the sun horizontally.

Now, if the Earth were to spin around the sun vertically, that would mean that the polar regions would be at the sides of the planet. So basically you would turn the Earth climate system 90 degrees.

Ok, you got myself thinking, and lost.
That is two ways I can see a vertical spin. One of them, would have one pole always looking at the sun, as ThinkerX mentioned.

The other, would be a kind of combination, I guess. (I can see in my mind but I'm failing in find the right words.)
Hmm, Let's say, in the 'beginning of the year' the north pole would be pointed at the sun, and it would cycle in a way that by the middle of the year, the south pole would be. (rrr, I can't find a way to make myself clear.)

Ah, yes, the axis could be shift 90 degrees sideways, and be sort of tidal locked. But that will only accomplish in a non-season world. (the north and south pole aligned with the planets route around the sun.)

The more I think in about it more I want to make it make sense, somehow.
The planet being a moon instead would kind of work, with some very dark eclipses I guess.

Well, once more, thank you all for the ideas guys.

 

[Asura Levi]

Okay, I actually got myself something now (while cooking, great time to think).

It goes from the binary system. Instead of have the world W caught in the middle of stars A and B, forming a line, I realised that maybe a triangle between them could work.

Depending of the angle and distance, W could spin perpendicular to the edge AB and around it. While the stars A and B cycle each other with W route as a somewhat middle point.

It could even go as W having an ellipse route, so it could have seasons. Albeit the whole world would have the same season at any giving time. And the poles region would have more sunlight all year long.

Once more, how does this goes. Could it work? More importantly, can it be acceptable?