Because our orbit is nearly circular, the variation in distance between our closest approach () and our farthest approach ( aphelion ) is only about 3%.
To fully appreciate the January 3rd perihelion, it's helpful to understand its counterpart. In early July, Earth reaches its farthest point from the Sun, known as the aphelion. This occurs approximately two weeks after the June solstice. At this point, Earth is about from the Sun.
Source: NASA, National Aeronautics and Space Administration. during which month is the earth closest to the sun link
This annual event is known as . Because Earth's orbit is an ellipse rather than a perfect circle, the distance between the two bodies varies throughout the year. Key Facts About Perihelion When is the Earth closest to the sun? - Science Sparks
Earth does not orbit the Sun in a perfect circle. Instead, its path is an ellipse—an oval shape. Because of this elliptical orbit, the distance between the Earth and the Sun changes continuously throughout the year. Because our orbit is nearly circular, the variation
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| Year | Perihelion Date & Time (UTC) | Distance at Perihelion (km) | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | January 3, 17:15 | 147,099,894 km | | 2027 | January 3, 10:38 | 147,104,593 km | | 2028 | January 5, 20:26 | 147,100,687 km | | 2029 | January 3, 02:13 | 147,098,350 km | | 2030 | January 3, 18:11 | 147,105,838 km | This occurs approximately two weeks after the June solstice
The Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the Sun. Despite being physically closer to the Sun at perihelion, the northern half of the globe receives solar rays at a shallow, slanted angle. The energy is spread out over a larger surface area, and days are shorter, resulting in winter.
The gravitational tug of the moon causes Earth to "wobble" slightly in its path.