During What Month Is The Sun Closest To Earth -

Mrs. Higgins, the science teacher, overheard him. She was writing the day’s essential question on the whiteboard. "What doesn't make sense, Harold?"

"Precisely," Mrs. Higgins said. "The event is called perihelion . It usually occurs between January 3rd and January 5th. At that time, Earth is about 91.4 million miles from the sun. Conversely, during the month we are in now, July, Earth is at aphelion —our farthest point—about 94.5 million miles away."

The class went silent for a beat.

She walked to the front of the room and dimmed the lights. An image of an oval appeared on the projector screen. during what month is the sun closest to earth

"January?" Sam blurted out. "That’s snow season! That’s when we have three feet of snow on the ground!"

Leo scrolled down. An animation showed Earth’s elliptical orbit—not a perfect circle, but a slight oval. The sun sat off-center. In early January, Earth reaches perihelion , its closest point: about 91.4 million miles away. In July, aphelion : nearly 94.5 million miles. A difference of three million miles—enough to affect the sun’s apparent size, but not enough to override the seasons.

Earth does not travel in a perfect circle around the sun; instead, it follows an . This means the distance between the two bodies varies throughout the year by approximately 3.1 million miles (5 million kilometers). Why Earth is Closest to Sun in Dead of Winter | Space "What doesn't make sense, Harold

That evening, they sat together with a tablet and a mug of hot cocoa. Leo typed the question aloud: “During what month is the sun closest to Earth?”

“January?” Leo blinked. “But it’s freezing.”

"That is the logical assumption," Mrs. Higgins agreed. "However, nature has a sense of humor. Harold, based on the temperature outside, what month do you think we are closest to the sun?" It usually occurs between January 3rd and January 5th

"Correct," Mrs. Higgins said. "Which proves that distance is not the driver of the seasons. If it were, the entire planet would have the same season at the same time. Instead, the seasons are driven by the tilt of the Earth’s axis."

Harold, a lanky eighth-grader with a passion for astronomy and a distinct lack of tolerance for heat, slumped over his desk. He wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead and glared at the sun blazing through the glass.