File:Precession and seasons.svg

\documentclass[12pt,border=1pt,crop,multi=false,tikz,class=scrartcl]{standalone}
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
\usepackage{lmodern}
\usepackage{mathtools}
\usepackage{setspace}
 
\usetikzlibrary{arrows,shapes,calc,positioning,fit,decorations.markings}

\begin{document}
\sffamily
\footnotesize
\setstretch{1}
  \begin{tikzpicture}[>=latex',semithick,auto,remember picture]
  \node at (-7,0) (o1) {\begin{tikzpicture}[scale=1,>=latex',
  decoration={markings, mark=at position 0.85 with {\arrow[scale=3]{>} } }]
  	\draw [fill=cyan!30,opacity=.6,postaction={decorate}] (0,0) ellipse (2.5981 and 3);
	\draw (0,-3) -- (0,3) (-2.25,-1.5) -- (2.25,-1.5);
	\draw [fill=yellow] (0,-1.5) circle (.3);
	\draw [->,red,ultra thick] (-.5,-3) -- (.5,-3);
	\draw [->,red,ultra thick] (-.5,3) -- (.5,3);
	\draw [->,red,ultra thick] (-2.75,-1.5) -- (-1.75,-1.5);
	\draw [->,red,ultra thick] (1.75,-1.5) -- (2.75,-1.5);
	\draw [fill=blue] 
		(0,-3) circle (.2)
		(0,3) circle (.2)
		(-2.25,-1.5) circle (.2)
		(2.25,-1.5) circle (.2);
	\node [text centered] at (-1.2,.8) {Spring};
	\node [text centered] at (1.2,.8) {Winter};
	\node [text centered] at (-1,-2) {Summer};
	\node [text centered] at (1,-2) {Fall};
	\node [text centered, text width=5em] at (0,3.8) {Spring Equinox};
	\node [text centered, text width=5em] at (0,-3.8) {Fall Equinox};
	\node [text centered, text width=5em] at (-3.5,-1.5) {Summer Solstice};
	\node [text centered, text width=5em] at (3.5,-1.5) {Winter Solstice};
	\end{tikzpicture}
	};
    \node [text centered,text width=16em] at (-7,-4.7) (t1) {\normalsize 5000 years ago and 15000 years from now};
    \node at (7,0) (o2) {\begin{tikzpicture}[scale=1,>=latex',
  decoration={markings, mark=at position 0.85 with {\arrow[scale=3]{>} } }]
  	\draw [fill=cyan!30,opacity=.6,postaction={decorate}] (0,0) ellipse (2.5981 and 3);
	\draw (0,-3) -- (0,3) (-2.25,-1.5) -- (2.25,-1.5);
	\draw [fill=yellow] (0,-1.5) circle (.3);
	\draw [<-,red,ultra thick] (-.5,-3) -- (.5,-3);
	\draw [<-,red,ultra thick] (-.5,3) -- (.5,3);
	\draw [<-,red,ultra thick] (-2.75,-1.5) -- (-1.75,-1.5);
	\draw [<-,red,ultra thick] (1.75,-1.5) -- (2.75,-1.5);
	\draw [fill=blue] 
		(0,-3) circle (.2)
		(0,3) circle (.2)
		(-2.25,-1.5) circle (.2)
		(2.25,-1.5) circle (.2);
	\node [text centered] at (-1.2,.8) {Fall};
	\node [text centered] at (1.2,.8) {Summer};
	\node [text centered] at (-1,-2) {Winter};
	\node [text centered] at (1,-2) {Spring};
	\node [text centered, text width=5em] at (0,3.8) {Fall Equinox};
	\node [text centered, text width=5em] at (0,-3.8) {Spring Equinox};
	\node [text centered, text width=5em] at (-3.5,-1.5) {Winter Solstice};
	\node [text centered, text width=5em] at (3.5,-1.5) {Summer Solstice};
	\end{tikzpicture}
	};
  \node [text centered,text width=16em] at (7,-4.7) (t2) {\normalsize 5000 years from now};
  \node at (0,-4.5) (o3) {\begin{tikzpicture}[scale=1,>=latex',
  decoration={markings, mark=at position 0.85 with {\arrow[scale=3]{>} } }]
  	\draw [fill=cyan!30,opacity=.6,postaction={decorate}] (0,0) ellipse (2.5981 and 3);
	\draw (0,-3) -- (0,3) (-2.25,-1.5) -- (2.25,-1.5);
	\draw [fill=yellow] (0,-1.5) circle (.3);
	\draw [->,red,ultra thick] (0,-3.5) -- (0,-2.5);
	\draw [->,red,ultra thick] (0,2.5) -- (0,3.5);
	\draw [->,red,ultra thick] (-2.25,-2) -- (-2.25,-1);
	\draw [->,red,ultra thick] (2.25,-2) -- (2.25,-1);
	\draw [fill=blue] 
		(0,-3) circle (.2)
		(0,3) circle (.2)
		(-2.25,-1.5) circle (.2)
		(2.25,-1.5) circle (.2);
	\node [text centered] at (-1.2,.8) {Winter};
	\node [text centered] at (1.2,.8) {Fall};
	\node [text centered] at (-1,-2) {Spring};
	\node [text centered] at (1,-2) {Summer};
	\node [text centered, text width=5em] at (0,3.8) {Winter Solstice};
	\node [text centered, text width=5em] at (0,-3.8) {Summer Solstice};
	\node [text centered, text width=5em] at (-3.5,-1.5) {Spring Equinox};
	\node [text centered, text width=5em] at (3.5,-1.5) {Fall Equinox};
	\end{tikzpicture}
	};
  \node [text centered,text width=16em] at (0,-9.2) (t3) {\normalsize Earth's orbit 10000 years from now};
  \node at (0,4.5) (o4) {\begin{tikzpicture}[scale=1,>=latex',rotate=-18,
  decoration={markings, mark=at position 0.85 with {\arrow[scale=3]{>} } }]
  	\draw [fill=cyan!30,opacity=.6,postaction={decorate}] (0,0) ellipse (2.5981 and 3);
	\draw (0,-3) -- (0,3) (-2.25,-1.5) -- (2.25,-1.5);
	\draw [fill=yellow] (0,-1.5) circle (.3);
	\draw [<-,red,ultra thick] (0,-3.5) -- (0,-2.5);
	\draw [<-,red,ultra thick] (0,2.5) -- (0,3.5);
	\draw [<-,red,ultra thick] (-2.25,-2) -- (-2.25,-1);
	\draw [<-,red,ultra thick] (2.25,-2) -- (2.25,-1);
	\draw [fill=blue] 
		(0,-3) circle (.2)
		(0,3) circle (.2)
		(-2.25,-1.5) circle (.2)
		(2.25,-1.5) circle (.2);
	\node [text centered] at (-1.2,.8) {Summer};
	\node [text centered] at (1.2,.8) {Spring};
	\node [text centered] at (-1,-2) {Fall};
	\node [text centered] at (1,-2) {Winter};
	\node [text centered, text width=5em] at (0,3.8) {Summer Solstice};
	\node [text centered, text width=5em] at (0,-3.8) {Winter Solstice};
	\node [text centered, text width=5em] at (-3.5,-1.5) {Fall Equinox};
	\node [text centered, text width=5em] at (3.5,-1.5) {Spring Equinox};
	\end{tikzpicture}
	};
  \node [text centered,text width=8em] at (-2.5,7) (t4) {\normalsize Earth's \\orbit today};
  \draw [->,ultra thick] (o1.north) .. controls ++(0,1.5) and ++(-1.5,0) .. (t4.west);
  \draw [->,ultra thick,red] (-7.9,7.5) -- (-8.9,7.5);
  \node [text centered,text width=11em] at (-8.4,6) {\normalsize Direction North Pole points\\(actually inclined only 23.5$^\circ$)};
  \draw [->,ultra thick] (o4.30) ++(-1,0) .. controls ++(1.5,0) and ++(0,1.5) .. (o2.north)
  	node [pos=.5,above right,text centered,text width=8em] {\normalsize Precession direction};
  \draw [->,ultra thick] (t2.south) .. controls ++(0,-1.5) and ++(1.5,0) .. (t3.north east)
  	node [pos=.5,right=2em,text centered,text width=8em] {\normalsize Indicated seasons are for northern hemisphere};
  \draw [->,ultra thick] (t3.west) ++(.8,0) .. controls ++(-1.5,0) and ++(0,-1.5) .. (t1.south);
  \end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}