Earth reaches perihelion once every 365.25 days. Currently, this occurs in , usually about two weeks after the Winter Solstice.
At that moment, Earth is about from the Sun — roughly 3 million km (1.8 million miles) closer than at aphelion (farthest point), which happens in early July. when earth is closest to sun
So next time someone says “Why is it so cold if we’re closest to the Sun?” — you’ve got the perfect tilt-based explanation ready. Earth reaches perihelion once every 365
How can we be closest to the Sun while freezing in the snow? The answer lies in the , not its distance. So next time someone says “Why is it
, not its distance from the Sun, is the primary driver of the seasons. In January, the Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the Sun, causing sunlight to hit at a shallower angle and for shorter periods. National Geographic +2 Upcoming Perihelion Dates Because Earth's orbit is influenced by the gravitational pull of other planets, the exact timing of perihelion varies slightly each year. Time and Date +1 Year Date Time (UTC) 2026 January 3 17:16 2027 January 3 02:33 2028 January 5 12:28 2029 January 2 18:13 Would you like to know more about how
Earth reaches perihelion once every 365.25 days. Currently, this occurs in , usually about two weeks after the Winter Solstice.
At that moment, Earth is about from the Sun — roughly 3 million km (1.8 million miles) closer than at aphelion (farthest point), which happens in early July.
So next time someone says “Why is it so cold if we’re closest to the Sun?” — you’ve got the perfect tilt-based explanation ready.
How can we be closest to the Sun while freezing in the snow? The answer lies in the , not its distance.
, not its distance from the Sun, is the primary driver of the seasons. In January, the Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the Sun, causing sunlight to hit at a shallower angle and for shorter periods. National Geographic +2 Upcoming Perihelion Dates Because Earth's orbit is influenced by the gravitational pull of other planets, the exact timing of perihelion varies slightly each year. Time and Date +1 Year Date Time (UTC) 2026 January 3 17:16 2027 January 3 02:33 2028 January 5 12:28 2029 January 2 18:13 Would you like to know more about how