| Effect | Description | |--------|-------------| | | Earth receives about 6.9% more solar energy at perihelion than at aphelion. | | Orbital speed | Earth moves faster in its orbit at perihelion (Kepler’s Second Law: planets move faster when closer to the Sun). | | Seasonal length | Winter in the Northern Hemisphere is the shortest season (~89 days) because Earth moves quickly through that part of its orbit. Summer in the Northern Hemisphere is the longest (~93.5 days). | | Temperature | Despite being closer to the Sun, January is cold in the Northern Hemisphere because sunlight strikes at a low angle and days are short. The Southern Hemisphere, experiencing summer, receives more direct sunlight. |
The Earth reaches its closest point to the Sun annually in early January, typically around January 3rd or 4th. This event is called . earth closest point sun month
When most people think of the Earth’s orbit, they imagine a perfect circle. If that were true, our distance from the sun would never change. However, Earth’s path is actually an ellipse—a slightly stretched-out circle. This means there is one specific point in the year when we are physically closer to the sun than at any other time. | Effect | Description | |--------|-------------| | |
Simultaneously, the Southern Hemisphere is tilted the sun, experiencing the peak of summer. The Subtle Effects of Being Close Summer in the Northern Hemisphere is the longest (~93
“Earth is closest to the Sun in June because it’s summer.” Fact: June is summer in the Northern Hemisphere due to axial tilt, not distance. In fact, Earth is near aphelion (farthest point) in July.
| Year | Perihelion Date & Time (UTC) | Distance (million km) | |------|------------------------------|------------------------| | 2024 | Jan 3, 00:38 | 147.1 | | 2025 | Jan 4, 13:28 | 147.1 | | 2026 | Jan 3, 17:15 | 147.1 | | 2027 | Jan 3, 23:00 | 147.1 | | 2028 | Jan 5, 12:00 | 147.1 |
Seasons are not caused by the distance between the Earth and the Sun. They are caused by the tilt of Earth’s axis (23.5 degrees).