Answer:
1. The earth orbit is slightly elliptical, and the earth axis is tilted by roughly 23.5° to the orbit. These to factors combine to make the an analemma. But in the winter, When the Earth is on the other side of orbit, the Earth's north pole is tipped away from the Sun, so at noon the sun doesn't get as high.
2. The earth's spin axis is tilted with respect to it's orbital planet. This is what causes the season. When the earth's axis points towards the sun. it is summer for that hemispheres. Midway between these two times in spring and autumn, the spin axis of earth points 90 degrees away from the Sun.
