It is a common misconception that summer is caused by Earth being "closer" to the Sun. In reality, the Earth is actually closest to the Sun during the Northern Hemisphere's winter.
Each year, Earth reaches its closest point to the Sun in , an astronomical event known as perihelion . when are we closest to the sun
Yes, but not the way you’d expect.
Earth reaches perihelion, its closest point to the sun, in early January, positioned approximately 91.4 million miles away. This annual event occurs despite the northern hemisphere's winter, as seasons are driven by axial tilt rather than orbital distance. For more details, visit Time and Date . www.thesuntoday.org +3 AI can make mistakes, so double-check responses Copy Creating a public link... You can now share this thread with others Good response Bad response 4 sites Happy Perihelion 2026 — Earth's Closest Solar Encounter! Jan 3, 2026 — It is a common misconception that summer is
Perihelion drifts very slowly over long time periods (about one day every 70 years) due to gravitational tugs from other planets. Currently, it’s moving toward January 4–5. In about 13,000 years, perihelion will align with the Northern Hemisphere’s summer (due to Earth’s axial precession), making summers even hotter and winters colder. Yes, but not the way you’d expect
If distance dictated temperature, the entire planet would have summer in January and winter in July. Instead, seasons are caused by the tilt of the Earth’s axis (23.5 degrees).
In , this closest approach will occur on January 3rd at approximately 17:15 UTC (12:15 p.m. EST). During this moment, Earth will be about 91.4 million miles (147 million km) from the Sun—roughly 3 million miles closer than it will be during its farthest point in July. Why Perihelion Happens in January