In January, the Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the Sun. This results in shorter days and less direct, weaker sunlight, causing winter weather despite being physically closer to the Sun.
Source: NASA, National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
Despite being closer to the sun, the Northern Hemisphere experiences winter during this time because the seasons are determined by the tilt of Earth's axis, not by its distance from the sun.
The sun appears about 3% larger in the sky in January than in July. Furthermore, the Earth receives about 7% more solar energy (radiation) during perihelion.
To learn more about how orbital mechanics shape planetary climates, check out this guide on the Earth's orbit and its seasonal impacts.
It is a common misconception that the Earth’s orbit around the Sun is a perfect circle. In reality, the Earth's orbit is not perfectly circular but elliptical, or slightly oval-shaped. Because of this, the distance between our planet and the Sun isn't fixed. This characteristic, which follows from Johannes Kepler's First Law of Planetary Motion, creates a unique point in our planet's journey each year: a moment when Earth is slightly closer to the Sun than at any other time.
The reason our distance from the Sun fluctuates throughout the year lies in the geometry of our orbit.
January 3, 2026, at approximately 17:15 UTC. Distance at Perihelion: About million miles ( 147.1147.1 million kilometers). Farthest Month (Aphelion): July. Distance at Aphelion: Roughly million miles ( million km) farther away than in January. What is Perihelion?
The Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the Sun, resulting in shorter days and less direct solar energy, regardless of being physically closer to the Sun.
You might expect that the Earth would be closest to the Sun during the summer months in the Northern Hemisphere, when the weather is warmest. However, the Earth's orbit is not synchronized with the seasons. The reason the Earth is closest to the Sun in January is that the Earth's orbit is elliptical, and its shape is influenced by the gravitational pull of the other planets in the solar system.
If you are writing a piece on solar cycles or astronomy, let me know:
Our planet rotates on an axis tilted by relative to its orbital plane. This tilt, not the varying distance, is the primary driver of our seasons. As Earth orbits the Sun, the Northern and Southern Hemispheres alternately tilt toward or away from the Sun.
When is Earth Closest to the Sun? Understanding Perihelion (2026 Update)
In January, the Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the Sun. This results in shorter days and less direct, weaker sunlight, causing winter weather despite being physically closer to the Sun.
Source: NASA, National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
Despite being closer to the sun, the Northern Hemisphere experiences winter during this time because the seasons are determined by the tilt of Earth's axis, not by its distance from the sun.
The sun appears about 3% larger in the sky in January than in July. Furthermore, the Earth receives about 7% more solar energy (radiation) during perihelion.
To learn more about how orbital mechanics shape planetary climates, check out this guide on the Earth's orbit and its seasonal impacts.
It is a common misconception that the Earth’s orbit around the Sun is a perfect circle. In reality, the Earth's orbit is not perfectly circular but elliptical, or slightly oval-shaped. Because of this, the distance between our planet and the Sun isn't fixed. This characteristic, which follows from Johannes Kepler's First Law of Planetary Motion, creates a unique point in our planet's journey each year: a moment when Earth is slightly closer to the Sun than at any other time.
The reason our distance from the Sun fluctuates throughout the year lies in the geometry of our orbit.
January 3, 2026, at approximately 17:15 UTC. Distance at Perihelion: About million miles ( 147.1147.1 million kilometers). Farthest Month (Aphelion): July. Distance at Aphelion: Roughly million miles ( million km) farther away than in January. What is Perihelion?
The Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the Sun, resulting in shorter days and less direct solar energy, regardless of being physically closer to the Sun.
You might expect that the Earth would be closest to the Sun during the summer months in the Northern Hemisphere, when the weather is warmest. However, the Earth's orbit is not synchronized with the seasons. The reason the Earth is closest to the Sun in January is that the Earth's orbit is elliptical, and its shape is influenced by the gravitational pull of the other planets in the solar system.
If you are writing a piece on solar cycles or astronomy, let me know:
Our planet rotates on an axis tilted by relative to its orbital plane. This tilt, not the varying distance, is the primary driver of our seasons. As Earth orbits the Sun, the Northern and Southern Hemispheres alternately tilt toward or away from the Sun.
When is Earth Closest to the Sun? Understanding Perihelion (2026 Update)
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