Perihelion
Perihelion is the point in an orbit where a body is closest to the Sun — for Earth, in early January.
Full definition of Perihelion →:: COMPARE ::
PerihelionvsAphelion
The short answer
The same orbit's opposite extreme, about 5 million km further out, reached in early July. The pair exists because Earth's orbit is an ellipse rather than a circle — and the eccentricity is small enough that tilt beats distance decisively.
Side by side
| Aspect | Perihelion | Aphelion |
|---|---|---|
| When | Early January | Early July |
| Distance | ~147.1m km | ~152.1m km |
| Sunlight | 7% more | 7% less |
| Northern season | Winter | Summer |
What each one means
Aphelion
The contrast above sets out how Aphelion differs from Perihelion on the points that actually matter.