Earth – A Darker View

Apehelion

Earth’s apehelion will occur at 12:11HST today.

Apehelion occurs when the Earth reaches its furthest distance from the Sun for the year.

It may seem odd to some the apehelion occurs in the middle of summer. One must recall that the distance from the Sun is not the cause of our seasons, that is the effects of axial tilt.

2019 Apsides and Seasons
Event	Universal Time		Hawaii Standard Time
Perihelion	Jan 03	05:20UT	Jan 02	19:20HST
Spring Equinox	Mar 20	21:58UT	Mar 20	11:58HST
Summer Solstice	Jun 21	15:54UT	Jun 21	05:54HST
Aphelion	Jul 04	22:11UT	Jul 04	12:11HST
Fall Equinox	Sep 23	07:50UT	Sep 22	21:50HST
Winter Solstice	Dec 22	04:19UT	Dec 21	18:19HST
Data from US Naval Observatory Data Services

Perihelion

Earth’s perihelion will occur at 19:20HST today.

Perihelion occurs when the Earth reaches its closest distance to the Sun for the year.

It may seem odd to some the perihelion occurs in the middle of winter. One must recall that the distance from the Sun is not the cause of our seasons, that is the effects of axial tilt.

2019 Apsides and Seasons
Event	Universal Time		Hawaii Standard Time
Perihelion	Jan 03	05:20UT	Jan 02	19:20HST
Spring Equinox	Mar 20	21:58UT	Mar 20	11:58HST
Summer Solstice	Jun 21	15:54UT	Jun 21	05:54HST
Aphelion	Jul 04	22:11UT	Jul 04	12:11HST
Fall Equinox	Sep 23	07:50UT	Sep 22	21:50HST
Winter Solstice	Dec 22	04:19UT	Dec 21	18:19HST
Data from US Naval Observatory Data Services

Winter solstice occurs today at 16:28HST. Today the Sun will occupy the most southerly position in the sky of the year. The term solstice comes from the Latin terms Sol (the Sun) and sistere (to stand still). On this day the Sun seems to stand still as it stops moving southwards each day and begins move to the north. This is the first day of winter as marked by many cultures in the northern hemisphere. Alternately, this is the first day of summer for those folks in the southern hemisphere.

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

Apehelion

Today the Earth is furthest from the Sun, a point called apehelion. We will be about 152,096,000km (94,508,000miles) from the Sun. Compare this to the 147,099,000km (91,403,000miles) we were at perihelion on January 4th, a difference of about 4,996,000km (3,104,000miles) occurring throughout one orbit.

It may seem odd that we are actually at the furthest for the middle of northern summer, 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

Earth at Perihelion

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

Winter Solstice

Winter solstice occurs today at 00:44HST. Today the Sun will occupy the most southerly position in the sky of the year. The term solstice comes from the Latin terms Sol (the Sun) and sistere (to stand still). On this day the Sun seems to stand still as it stops moving southwards each day and begins move to the north. This is the first day of winter as marked by many cultures in the northern hemisphere. Alternately, this is the first day of summer for those folks in the southern hemisphere.

2016 Solstices and Equinoxes
	UT		HST
Perihelion	Jan 2	22:49UT	Jan 2	12:49HST
Vernal Equinox	Mar 20	04:30UT	Mar 19	18:30HST
Summer Solstice	Jun 20	22:34UT	Jun 20	12:34HST
Apehelion	Jul 4	16:24UT	Jul 4	06:24HST
Autumnal Equinox	Sep 22	14:21UT	Sep 22	04:21HST
Winter Solstice	Dec 21	10:44UT	Dec 21	00:44HST
Source: USNO data Services

Apehelion

Today the Earth is furthest from the Sun, a point called apehelion. We will be about 152,096,000km (94,508,000miles) from the Sun. Compare this to the 147,099,000km (91,403,000miles) we were at perihelion on January 2rd, a difference of about 4,996,000km (3,104,000miles) occurring throughout one orbit.

2016 Solstices and Equinoxes
	UT		HST
Perihelion	Jan 2	22:49UT	Jan 2	12:49HST
Vernal Equinox	Mar 20	04:30UT	Mar 19	18:30HST
Summer Solstice	Jun 20	22:34UT	Jun 20	12:34HST
Apehelion	Jul 4	16:24UT	Jul 4	06:24HST
Autumnal Equinox	Sep 22	14:21UT	Sep 22	04:21HST
Winter Solstice	Dec 21	10:44UT	Dec 21	00:44HST

Source: USNO data Services

Earth at Perihelion

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 4th, a difference of about 4,996,000km (3,104,000miles) occurs throughout one orbit.

2016 Solstices and Equinoxes
	UT		HST
Perihelion	Jan 2	22:49UT	Jan 2	12:49HST
Vernal Equinox	Mar 20	04:30UT	Mar 19	18:30HST
Summer Solstice	Jun 20	22:34UT	Jun 20	12:34HST
Apehelion	Jul 4	16:24UT	Jul 4	06:24HST
Autumnal Equinox	Sep 22	14:21UT	Sep 22	04:21HST
Winter Solstice	Dec 21	10:44UT	Dec 21	00:44HST

Source: USNO data Services

Winter Solstice

Winter solstice occurs today at 18:48HST. Today the Sun will occupy the most southerly position in the sky of the year. The term solstice comes from the Latin terms Sol (the Sun) and sistere (to stand still). On this day the Sun seems to stand still as it stops moving southwards each day and begins move to the north. This is the first day of winter as marked by many cultures in the northern hemisphere. Alternately, this is the first day of summer for those folks in the southern hemisphere.

2015 Solstices and Equinoxes
	UT		HST
Perihelion	Jan 4	08:59UT	Jan 3	22:59HST
Vernal Equinox	Mar 20	22:45UT	Mar 20	12:45HST
Summer Solstice	Jun 21	16:38UT	Jun 21	06:38HST
Apehelion	Jul 6	12:59UT	Jul 6	02:59HST
Autumnal Equinox	Sep 23	08:20UT	Sep 22	22:20HST
Winter Solstice	Dec 22	04:48UT	Dec 21	18:48HST

Source: NASA Sky Calendar

Apehelion

Today the Earth is furthest from the Sun, a point called apehelion. We will be about 152,096,000km (94,508,000miles) from the Sun. Compare this to the 147,099,000km (91,403,000miles) we were at perihelion on January 3rd, a difference of about 4,996,000km (3,104,000miles) occurring throughout one orbit.

2014 Solstices and Equinoxes
	UT		HST
Perihelion	Jan 4	05:59UT	Jan 3	19:59HST
Vernal Equinox	Mar 20	16:57UT	Mar 20	06:57HST
Summer Solstice	Jun 21	10:52UT	Jun 21	00:52HST
Apehelion	Jul 6	02:59UT	Jul 5	16:59HST
Autumnal Equinox	Sep 23	02:30UT	Sep 22	16:30HST
Winter Solstice	Dec 21	23:03UT	Dec 21	13:03HST

Source: NASA Sky Calendar