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
Conversely, in July—when we’re farthest from the Sun—the Northern Hemisphere is tilted toward the Sun. The sunlight arrives more directly (higher angle), creating the intense, concentrated heat we call summer. when is earth closest to the sun
Because the sun's gravitational pull is strongest at perihelion, Earth accelerates to its maximum orbital speed of roughly As a result, winter in the Northern Hemisphere
The changing distance is governed by Johannes Kepler’s First Law of Planetary Motion, which states that all planets move in elliptical orbits with the sun at one focus. Because the sun's gravitational pull is strongest at
If Earth moved in a perfect circle, our distance from the Sun would never change. However, as Johannes Kepler discovered in the 17th century, planetary orbits are (oval-shaped).
During perihelion, Earth is approximately 147 million kilometres (about 91.4 million miles) away from the Sun. Conversely, Earth reaches its farthest point from the Sun, known as , in early July, when it sits about 152 million kilometres (94.5 million miles) away. This means our planet is about 5 million kilometres closer to its star in January than in July. Why Earth’s Distance Changes: The Elliptical Orbit
The exact date and time shift slightly from year to year due to variations in Earth's orbit. These minor shifts are caused by the gravitational pull of other celestial bodies, primarily the Moon and larger planets like Jupiter and Saturn. Why Our Orbit Isn't a Perfect Circle