Because this number is so close to zero, Earth's orbit is nearly circular, but not quite. That slight deviation is the reason we experience a difference of about 3 million miles (5 million kilometers) between our closest and farthest approaches to the Sun. Distance vs. Tilt: What Drives the Seasons?
If you drew Earth’s orbit on a sheet of paper, you would struggle to tell it apart from a circle. It’s only 1.67% away from perfectly circular. Many other planets (like Mercury and Mars) have much more elliptical orbits.
Climate change driven by human activity is about the greenhouse effect trapping heat in the atmosphere. While changes in Earth’s orbit (Milankovitch cycles) do cause ice ages over tens of thousands of years, the annual perihelion of 3.3% distance change does not drive the current global warming trend.
It's worth noting that the difference in distance between perihelion and aphelion has a relatively small effect on the Earth's climate, as the amount of solar energy the Earth receives is influenced by other factors, such as the tilt of its axis and the distribution of land and sea.
: Earth moves fastest at this point, traveling at about 30.3 kilometers per second. Common Misconceptions when is earth closest to the sun
The exact date of perihelion varies slightly each year because the Gregorian calendar does not perfectly align with Earth's elliptical orbit. It typically falls between January 2nd and January 5th.
At this time, the Earth is approximately away from the Sun.
How perihelion compares to the orbital paths of in our solar system Share public link
Earth reaches its closest point to the Sun, a position known as , annually in early January . Despite common assumptions that distance drives the seasons, Earth is actually closest to the Sun during the Northern Hemisphere's winter. Key Timing and Data Because this number is so close to zero,
As we go about our daily lives, it's easy to take for granted the intricate dance of celestial bodies that govern our planet's climate, seasons, and overall existence. One crucial aspect of this dance is Earth's orbit around the Sun, which is not a perfect circle, but rather an ellipse. This elliptical shape means that our distance from the Sun varies throughout the year, with the closest point being a significant event in the astronomical calendar. So, when is Earth closest to the Sun?
We often imagine Earth’s orbit as a perfect circle, but it is actually a slightly squashed oval, or an
Due to a phenomenon called , the axis of Earth’s elliptical orbit slowly rotates over time. This movement is driven primarily by the gravitational tug of giant planets like Jupiter and Saturn.
Every year in early January, Earth reaches a specific point in its orbit called perihelion . In 2026, this occurs on: January 3, 2026 approximately 12:15 p.m. EST (17:15 UTC) roughly 91.4 million miles (147.1 million km) Tilt: What Drives the Seasons
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The Seasons, the Equinox, and the Solstices - National Weather Service
In January, the Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the Sun. Even though we are physically closer to the Sun at perihelion, the tilt causes the sunlight to hit the Northern Hemisphere at a shallow angle, spreading the energy thin and creating winter.