Aphelion Point

Why in the news?

Recently, Earth has reached aphelion.

About Aphelion

1. Aphelion is the point in Earth’s orbit where it is the farthest from the Sun. The Earth’s path around the Sun is a slightly stretched-out circle or oval. This path is called an elliptical orbit.

2.  Because of this shape, sometimes Earth is closer to the Sun, and sometimes it’s farther away. The point where Earth is farthest from the Sun is called aphelion.

How Far is Earth at Aphelion?

1. At aphelion, Earth is about 152.1 million kilometers away from the Sun.

2. This happens every year in early July. Six months later, in early January, Earth reaches the closest point to the Sun, called perihelion, when it is about 147.1 million kilometers away.

3. So, the distance changes by about 5 million kilometers between these two points.

Does Aphelion Affect Seasons?

1. Earth gets about 7% less sunlight at aphelion compared to perihelion.

2. Instead, the tilt of the Earth’s axis is the main reason of having seasons.

3. Depending on where Earth is in its orbit, either the Northern or Southern Hemisphere tilts towards or away from the Sun, creating the seasons.

What Would Happen if Earth’s Orbit Changed?

1. If Earth’s orbit were a perfect circle, the lengths of the seasons would be the same.

2. Spring and summer are a bit longer than fall and winter in the Northern Hemisphere because of elliptical orbit.

3. If the orbit became more circular, it wouldn’t cause major changes. However, if the orbit became more stretched out (more elliptical), it could make the seasons much more extreme.

4. Summers could become very hot, and winters very cold which could be harmful to life on Earth.

UPSC Syllabus: Geography