. It typically occurs in early January, about two weeks after the December solstice. Fast Facts about Perihelion 2026 Date: In 2026, Earth reached perihelion on at 17:16 UTC. At this point, the Earth is approximately 147.1 million kilometers (91.4 million miles) from the Sun. Earth travels at its maximum orbital speed—about 30.3 kilometers per second —when it is closest to the Sun. Sun's Appearance: Because we are closer, the Sun appears about 3.4% larger in the sky and is roughly 7% more intense
The extra energy received at perihelion makes Northern Hemisphere winters slightly warmer than they would be otherwise, and Southern Hemisphere summers somewhat more intense. The reverse happens at aphelion, where the Northern Hemisphere summer is slightly moderated by the planet's farther distance from the Sun.
While perihelion always occurs in January, the exact date shifts slightly from year to year due to gravitational pulls from other planets, particularly the Moon, Jupiter, and Saturn. Typically, the event falls between . To help me tailor any additional information, during which month is the earth closest to the sun link
If the Earth is closest to the Sun in January, why do temperatures plummet in places like New York, London, and Tokyo?
The reason for this variation in distance is the shape of our planet's orbit. An ellipse is defined by its eccentricity, which is a measure of how much it deviates from a perfect circle (an eccentricity of 0). The Earth's orbit currently has a low eccentricity of about 0.0167, meaning it is very close to, but not quite, a perfect circle. This slight elliptical shape results in a noticeable difference in the Earth-Sun distance throughout the year. At this point, the Earth is approximately 147
Every year, our planet experiences two extreme points in its distance from the Sun:
You might expect that the Earth would be closest to the Sun during the summer months in the Northern Hemisphere, when the weather is warmest. However, the Earth's orbit is not synchronized with the seasons. The reason the Earth is closest to the Sun in January is that the Earth's orbit is elliptical, and its shape is influenced by the gravitational pull of the other planets in the solar system. The reverse happens at aphelion, where the Northern
This leads to a striking paradox: . If the planet is closer to our heat source, why is it colder in the north? The answer lies in a more powerful factor: Earth's axial tilt .
This specific orbital milestone is known as . At this point, the Earth sits roughly 147 million kilometers (91.4 million miles) away from our parent star. This distance is about 5 million kilometers closer than it is during its farthest approach in July.
For more in-depth data, check the 2026-2027 Perihelion and Aphelion dates on Time and Date .
The increased proximity to the Sun during perihelion has a relatively minor effect on the Earth's climate. In fact, the difference in solar energy received by the Earth at perihelion versus aphelion (the farthest point from the Sun) is only about 6.9%. This variation is not enough to cause significant changes in the Earth's climate.