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Perihelion and Aphelion: 2027 Dates and What They Mean

Sunset over Earth oceans as seen from the International Space Station.

Image Credit:
JSC/NASA
Written By: Catherine Boeckmann Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Earth reaches perihelion, its closest point to the Sun, on January 2, 2027, at 9:33 p.m. EST. It reaches aphelion, its farthest point, on July 5 at 1:06 a.m. EDT. What do these terms mean, and how do they relate to the seasons?

What Are Aphelion and Perihelion?

The terms perihelion and aphelion describe different points in our planet’s orbit around the Sun. This can also apply to other planets, comets, or bodies.    

  • Aphelion is the point of the Earth’s orbit that is farthest away from the Sun. It always happens in early July, about 2 weeks after the June solstice,
  • Perihelion is the point of the Earth’s orbit that is nearest to the Sun. This always happens in early January, about 2 weeks after the December Solstice.

The words come from ancient Greek, in which helios means “Sun,” apo means “far,” and peri means “close.”

(Did You Know: The point in the Moon’s orbit that is closest to the Earth is called the perigee, and the point farthest from the Earth is known as the apogee. Learn about perigee and apogee.)

Aphelion and Perihelion Dates for 2027 and 2028 

YearEventDate and time (Eastern Time)
2027PerihelionJanuary 2, 9:33 p.m. EST
2027AphelionJuly 5, 1:06 a.m. EDT
2028PerihelionJanuary 5, 7:28 a.m. EST
2028AphelionJuly 3, 6:18 p.m. EDT
the position of the earth and the sun at Aphelion and Perihelion

Do Aphelion and Perihelion Cause the Seasons?

It’s not the distance from the Sun that causes our seasons. Seasons happen because the Earth’s axis is tilted at an angle. It’s because Earth orbits the Sun on a tilt that our planet gets more or less of the Sun’s direct rays at different times of the year. Read more about the reason for the seasons!

Aphelion and Perihelion on Mars

Mars has four seasons, too. Because a Martian year lasts about 687 Earth days, its seasons last longer than Earth’s—and they’re not all the same length. Mars’s more elliptical orbit also affects how long and how warm its seasons are.

Mars is closest to the Sun near the end of southern spring. As a result, southern spring and summer are shorter than their northern counterparts, and southern summer is warmer. Mars is farthest from the Sun during southern winter, which lasts longer.

mars orbit around the sun and the seasons
Image credit: JPL.NASA.gov

Did you learn something new today? Or perhaps, do you understand aphelion and perihelion a bit better? 

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Do perihelion and aphelion happen on the same dates every year?

    No. The dates and times shift slightly from year to year because the calendar year and Earth’s orbit don’t line up exactly.

     

  • Does Earth’s changing distance from the Sun affect the seasons?

    It has a small influence on seasonal intensity, but it doesn’t cause the seasons. Earth’s axial tilt is the main reason for seasonal changes.

Sun

About The Author

Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann

Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Catherine Boeckmann loves nature, stargazing, and gardening, so it’s not surprising that she and The Old Farmer’s Almanac found each other. She leads digital content for the Almanac website and is also a certified master gardener in the state of Indiana.

Read more from Catherine Boeckmann

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Comments

<span>Azcnyons</span> Thu, 07/06/2023 - 06:32
Didn’t the introduction say the earth is closer to the sun in January? The paragraph accompanyting the NASA diagram states the opposite.
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Thu, 07/06/2023 - 09:11

Thank you, we have updated the article!

 <span>Jason Heath Hill</span> Sat, 06/22/2024 - 06:46
im not the simulation type.. my Daughter is the Moon Godess. And im God.. Glad theres no shortage of water anyways.
<span>Forwardplans</span> Sun, 05/28/2023 - 01:09
Aphelion is afar, the Earth is further away from the sun. Perehelion is Pretty Close, the Earth is closer to the Sun .
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/jennifer-keating">Jennifer Keating</a> Tue, 05/30/2023 - 09:11

Great way to remember it!

 <span>Mary Beth Shipley</span> Sun, 07/03/2022 - 13:12
How I remember the difference in the two words is that I think of apogee as being similar to the word apology…. And the sun is apologizing to the earth for being so far away!
<span>Shannon Jorgensen</span> Wed, 01/04/2023 - 15:51
That's adorable! I'll use that to remember, too.
<span>Edson</span> Tue, 07/04/2023 - 01:25
In Xhosa and Zulu. . . .(Zulu means Heaven. . .do they speak Zulu in Heaven??) apho means THERE. . . .far away!!! So the sun is apho. . ..in July! Near is "apha". .. .but when near. . ..Sun does not need to speak. . .can feel it
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Wed, 07/13/2022 - 13:30

That's a clever idea, Mary Beth. Thanks for sharing!

 <span>V. Lochun</span> Sat, 02/12/2022 - 10:47
If the Earth is closest to the sun in January, why do we have winter at this time of year in the northern hemisphere and summer in the southern? Would it have anything to do with the tilt of Earth, implying the southern hemisphere is closer to the sun in January than the northern?