Earth will reach perihelion, the closest point in its orbit around the Sun, on Saturday, 4 January 2025, at 15:28 SAST.
What happens when Earth is closest to the Sun?
During this event, Earth will be approximately 147.1 million kilometres from the Sun. This occurrence takes place every year in early January, typically between 2 and 6 January, as part of Earth’s elliptical orbit.
At perihelion, Earth travels slightly faster in its orbit due to the Sun’s stronger gravitational pull.
This is a result of Kepler’s laws of planetary motion, which explain that a planet moves more rapidly when it is closer to the Sun.
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Despite being closer to the Sun during perihelion, the difference in distance compared to aphelion (the farthest point from the Sun) is relatively small and does not cause noticeable effects on Earth’s day-to-day activities.
What effect does perihelion have on temperatures and seasonal changes?
Perihelion has minimal impact on Earth’s temperatures or the progression of seasons.
Seasonal changes are primarily determined by the tilt of Earth’s axis relative to its orbit around the Sun, not its proximity to the Sun.
For example, January is the latter end of summer in the Southern Hemisphere with temperatures relatively normal despite Earth being at its closest point to the Sun.
The slight increase in solar radiation received during perihelion is balanced out by other atmospheric and geographic factors.
Similarly, Earth’s aphelion in early July—when it is farthest from the Sun—coincides with winter in the Southern Hemisphere.
