When Is Earth Closest To The Sun ((better)) ●

As a result, winter in the Northern Hemisphere is about than summer in the Northern Hemisphere. Summary of Key Differences Perihelion Timing Early January (Jan 2–5) Early July (July 2–6) Distance (Km) Distance (Miles) Earth's Speed Solar Intensity Highest (7% more solar energy) The Long-Term Future of Perihelion

In the 17th century, astronomer Johannes Kepler discovered that planets do not travel in perfect circles. Instead, they travel in , which are elongated or oval-shaped paths. when is earth closest to the sun

Earth doesn’t orbit the sun in a perfect circle. Its path is a slight ellipse (an oval). That means there is one point where our planet is closest to the sun and one point where it is farthest away. As a result, winter in the Northern Hemisphere

However, this calculation requires a good understanding of astronomy and orbital mechanics. For simplicity, the perihelion date and distance can be looked up or obtained from reliable astronomical sources. Earth doesn’t orbit the sun in a perfect circle

For our friends in Australia, South Africa, and South America, early January is the middle of summer. This aligns perfectly with their intuition. When the Southern Hemisphere is tilted toward the sun (December to February), they receive direct sunlight and experience summer. The fact that Earth is also at perihelion (closest to the sun) during their summer amplifies their summers slightly.

This elliptical path is why our distance to the Sun changes throughout the year.