Perihelion
- “when is earth closest to the sun”
- “why is it winter when we're closest to the sun”
- “perihelion meaning”
- “what causes the seasons”
01 · Side by side
Side by side
Comparison sheet
| Aspect | Perihelion | Aphelion |
|---|---|---|
| When | Early January | Early July |
| Distance | ~147.1m km | ~152.1m km |
| Sunlight | 7% more | 7% less |
| Northern season | Winter | Summer |
02 · Which one you meant
Which one did you mean?
In shortReaders who land here meaning Perihelion rather than Aphelion are usually searching for phrases like “when is earth closest to the sun”, “why is it winter when we're closest to the sun”, “perihelion meaning”.
03 · The mix-up
Where the confusion comes from
The mix-up“Earth is closest to the Sun in summer — that's why it's hot.”
What's true
Exactly backwards for the Northern Hemisphere. Earth is at perihelion in January, during northern winter, and at aphelion in July. NASA puts it plainly: the seasons are caused mostly by the 23.5-degree tilt of Earth's spin axis, not by its elliptical orbit.
04 · Read either one