Perihelion phenomenon 2026: Earth at its closest point to the sun next Saturday
On Saturday, January 3, 2026, the scientific community and astronomy enthusiasts around the world are eagerly awaiting a significant annual astronomical event: Earth will reach its perihelion, its closest point to the Sun for the entire year. This phenomenon will occur at 8:00 PM Mecca time (5:00 PM GMT), coinciding with the peak of winter in the Northern Hemisphere.
The nature of the Earth's elliptical orbit
Engineer Majed Abu Zahra explained that this proximity is not a random event, but rather a natural consequence of the Earth's orbit around the sun in an elliptical path, not a perfectly circular one. This geometric shape of the orbit, whose laws were discovered by Johannes Kepler in the 17th century, leads to a periodic variation in the distance between the Earth and the sun.
At perihelion, the distance between the Earth and the Sun shrinks to about 147,099,587 kilometers. Comparing this to aphelion—the point at which the Earth is farthest from the Sun, typically in early July—reveals a difference of nearly five million kilometers, with the distance at aphelion being approximately 152,081,196 kilometers.
Does proximity to the sun affect temperatures?
A common misconception is that Earth's proximity to the sun in January causes higher temperatures, or that its distance in July causes colder weather. Scientific fact confirms that distance is not the determining factor in the four seasons. The primary reason lies in the Earth's axial tilt of 23.5 degrees.
During the current winter season, the Earth's North Pole is tilted away from the sun, causing its rays to strike at an angle and with less intensity, while the Southern Hemisphere is tilted towards the sun, resulting in summer. This axial tilt, not the orbital distance, is the primary cause of seasonal climate variations.
The effect of the apogee phenomenon on the length of the seasons
Although the difference in distance doesn't change the seasons, it directly and profoundly affects the speed of Earth's orbit around the Sun. According to the laws of celestial mechanics, a planet's speed increases as it gets closer to the star it orbits.
Therefore, the Earth, now at perihelion, is moving at a maximum speed of 30.3 kilometers per second, compared to its slower speed at aphelion. This increased speed makes winter in the Northern Hemisphere shorter than summer, as the Earth accelerates in its orbit, passing this region closest to the Sun.
A golden opportunity for astrophotography enthusiasts
This is an ideal time for astrophotographers to document the size of the sun's disk. Due to its proximity, the sun appears 7% larger and brighter than in July. Experts recommend taking photos of the sun now (using appropriate filters to protect your eyes and equipment), and then taking similar photos with the same settings and equipment in July to create a visual comparison that illustrates the difference in apparent size, which practically confirms the elliptical shape of Earth's orbit.
Earth observation from deep space
In a related context, satellites like NASA and NOAA's Discovery are of paramount importance in monitoring our planet. This satellite captures stunning images of Earth from a distance of 1.5 million kilometers, specifically from Lagrange Point 1 (L1). This unique point in space, located between the Earth and the Sun, is where gravitational forces are balanced, allowing the satellite to remain stable and observe solar winds and space weather. It also captures images that reveal the beauty of our planet, the diversity of its terrain and atmosphere, thus enhancing our understanding of Earth's ecosystem from a comprehensive cosmic perspective.
