The earth officially reaches perihelion on January 4, 2023 in Cook County, Minnesota. What the heck does it mean?
Jan 04, 2023 09:06AM ● By Content Editor
Image: National Weather Service
By Laura Durenberger-Grunow - Boreal Community Media - January 4, 2023
You've likely heard of the summer and winter solstice and the spring and fall equinoxes, but have you ever heard of perihelion and aphelion?
The earth's orbit is not a perfect circle around the sun, which means there are two points during the year when it is closest to the sun, and another when we are furthest away.
The earth will officially reach perihelion on Wednesday, January 4 this year in Cook County, Minnesota, which means we will be closest to the sun than any other time of the year. If you want to celebrate, the official time locally is 10:17am.
Aphelion, which is the point when the earth is the furthest away from the sun, occurs during the first week in July.
"Closer" of course, is relative. According to the National Weather Service, the earth remains an average of 93 million miles away from the sun. During perihelion and aphelion, the planet is 1.6 million miles closer or further away, respectively.
So why is it that when the earth is closest to the sun, we are in what is typically a pretty cold time of year?
That has to do with the earth's tilt towards and away from the sun. Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on your stance on cold weather), those of us in the northern hemisphere are tilted away from the sun during perihelion. This means that we receive less direct sunlight, causing us to stay in those typical January temperatures.
When the earth reaches aphelion in July, we are tilted towards the sun, but farther away.
During the fall and spring equinox, we receive an equal amount of sunlight and darkness.
By Laura Durenberger-Grunow - Boreal Community Media - January 4, 2023
You've likely heard of the summer and winter solstice and the spring and fall equinoxes, but have you ever heard of perihelion and aphelion?
The earth's orbit is not a perfect circle around the sun, which means there are two points during the year when it is closest to the sun, and another when we are furthest away.
The earth will officially reach perihelion on Wednesday, January 4 this year in Cook County, Minnesota, which means we will be closest to the sun than any other time of the year. If you want to celebrate, the official time locally is 10:17am.
Aphelion, which is the point when the earth is the furthest away from the sun, occurs during the first week in July.
"Closer" of course, is relative. According to the National Weather Service, the earth remains an average of 93 million miles away from the sun. During perihelion and aphelion, the planet is 1.6 million miles closer or further away, respectively.
So why is it that when the earth is closest to the sun, we are in what is typically a pretty cold time of year?
That has to do with the earth's tilt towards and away from the sun. Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on your stance on cold weather), those of us in the northern hemisphere are tilted away from the sun during perihelion. This means that we receive less direct sunlight, causing us to stay in those typical January temperatures.
When the earth reaches aphelion in July, we are tilted towards the sun, but farther away.
During the fall and spring equinox, we receive an equal amount of sunlight and darkness.
