What is Perihelion? 7 things to know about this annual event

Perihelion occurs annually around January 3rd, influencing climate and celestial dynamics. 7 intriguing things about this annual event

Perihelion is the opposite of aphelion, which is the point in a celestial body's orbit where it is farthest from the sun

Earth's orbit around the sun is not a perfect circle but rather an elliptical shape. The point in its orbit where it is closest to the sun is the perihelion

The distance between Earth and sun varies throughout the year due to the elliptical shape of the orbit. At perihelion, Earth is approximately 147 million kilometers from the Sun

The Earth reaches perihelion around January 3rd each year. However, this date can vary slightly because of the gravitational influences of other celestial bodies

Contrary to what might be expected, Earth's distance from the sun during perihelion has a minimal effect on the seasons. The tilt of Earth's axis is a more significant factor

While the distance between Earth and the sun changes during the year, the variation in sunlight intensity is not the primary cause of the seasons

Since the Southern Hemisphere is closer to the sun during its summer, it experiences a slightly more intense summer than the Northern Hemisphere where it is winter