Today the Earth is closest to the Sun, a point called perihelion. We will be about 147,099,000km (91,403,000miles) from the Sun. Compare this to the 152,096,000km (94,508,000miles) we will be at aphelion on July 3rd, a difference of about 4,996,000km (3,104,000miles) occurs throughout one orbit.
It may seem odd that we are actually at the closest for the middle of northern winter, you just have to remember that proximity to the Sun is not the cause of the seasons. The seasons are caused by the axial tilt of the Earth, creating short and long days throughout the year, with a resulting change in the angle and intensity of the sunlight.
| 2017 Solstices and Equinoxes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UT | HST | |||
| Perihelion | Jan 4 | 14:18UT | Jan 4 | 04:18HST |
| Vernal Equinox | Mar 20 | 10:29UT | Mar 20 | 00:29HST |
| Summer Solstice | Jun 21 | 04:24UT | Jun 20 | 18:24HST |
| Apehelion | Jul 3 | 20:11UT | Jul 3 | 10:11HST |
| Autumnal Equinox | Sep 22 | 20:02UT | Sep 22 | 10:02HST |
| Winter Solstice | Dec 21 | 16:28UT | Dec 21 | 06:28HST |
| Source: USNO data Services | ||||
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