What Season Are We Closest To The Sun [repack]

| Season in Northern Hemisphere | Date of Season Start | Earth-Sun Distance | Relationship | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | ~Dec 21 | Closest (Perihelion ~Jan 4) | Earth is at its minimum distance. | | Spring | ~Mar 20 | Intermediate | Distance increasing toward aphelion. | | Summer | ~June 21 | Farthest (Aphelion ~July 4) | Earth is at its maximum distance. | | Fall | ~Sep 22 | Intermediate | Distance decreasing toward perihelion. |

Conversely, because we are farthest from the sun during the northern summer, the heat is slightly mitigated. If this were reversed, the summers in the Northern Hemisphere would be scorching infernos. We essentially have the best of both worlds: a sun that leans in to comfort us when we are cold, and steps back to give us space when we are hot. what season are we closest to the sun

The Earth does not orbit the sun in a perfect circle. Instead, it traces an ellipse, a slightly oval shape. This means there is a point in the year when we are nearest to the sun (perihelion) and a point when we are farthest away (aphelion). The difference is not trivial; at perihelion, we are about 3 million miles closer to the sun than we are at aphelion. To put that in perspective, that is more than three times the distance between the Earth and the Moon. | Season in Northern Hemisphere | Date of

There is a deeply ingrained intuition in the human mind regarding the seasons. When the air turns frosty and we reach for our heavy coats, we assume the source of our heat—the sun—has retreated to the far corners of the solar system. Conversely, when the asphalt sizzles in July, we imagine our planet leaning in close to the stellar hearth. It feels logical. It feels right. | | Fall | ~Sep 22 | Intermediate

Shining it straight down on a table creates a small, bright, hot spot (like summer sun at noon). Tilting the flashlight spreads that same light into a large, dim, cooler oval (like winter sun).