Earth to reach aphelion: Farthest from the Sun but no cooler
On Friday morning, the Earth will reach aphelion, which means it will be at the farthest point in its orbit relative to the Sun. This is the only day of the year when our planet will be approximately 151 million kilometres from the Sun. Despite this, the temperature on Earth will not undergo any significant change.
Tomorrow, the Earth will reach aphelion, the farthest point in its orbit relative to the Sun. This event is one of the significant moments in our planet's annual orbital cycle.
The Earth moves around the Sun in an ellipse. The cycle of a complete orbit lasts 365.25 days and causes the Earth to reach its closest approach on January 4th, during perihelion. At that time, the Earth is closest to the Sun.
At aphelion, the Earth is as far as 151 million kilometres from the Sun, about 5 million kilometres further than at perihelion.
On this day, the Sun will appear to be the smallest disk of the entire year. This is due to the principle of perspective—the further an object is from the observer, the smaller it appears.
Aphelion occurs on the orbits of planets, asteroids, and comets. It is the point in the orbit of a celestial body orbiting the Sun at which the body is farthest from the Sun. Despite the increased distance from the Sun, aphelion does not directly impact seasonal temperatures on Earth.
When will aphelion be in 2024?
The Earth typically reaches its aphelion at the beginning of July every year, when its distance from the Sun is about 152 million kilometres. In the case of comets, the difference between aphelion and perihelion can be much greater, leading to dramatic changes in their activity and appearance as they approach the Sun.
In 2024, the Earth reached aphelion on Friday, July 5th at 3:06 AM ET. At that time, the Earth will be at its farthest point from the Sun in its orbit.
Despite this distance, the amount of solar energy reaching our planet is sufficient to maintain warm conditions in the Northern Hemisphere. This is mainly due to the tilt of the Earth's axis, which causes more excellent sunlight in this period.
