Happy Perihelion!

Posted by Joe Joyce January 3, 2009 at 7:28 pm

Despite the cool temperatures we are actually closer to the sun than we will be all year.
The closest point to the Sun in a planet’s orbit is called perihelion. The furthest point is called aphelion.
At perihelion, our planet is about 91 million miles from the Sun; it moves outward to around 95 million miles from the Sun at aphelion. Earth is about 3% further from the Sun at aphelion than it is at perihelion. Some people have the mistaken impression that our seasons are caused by changes in Earth’s distance from the Sun, but this is not the case. Notice how Earth is actually closest to the Sun in the middle of the (Northern Hemisphere’s) winter! It is at this time where the northern hemisphere is tilted away from the Sun at a 23.5 degree angle which prevents us from receiving direct solar radiation, shorter days, longer nights, cooler temps…ect ect…We know all about it.
With a bright day in store for Sunday…what time could be better for a little sun worship? Just a little thanks for all the sun does for us. At 91 million miles away…that is almost shouting distance for some!