July 5, 2021: Our planet Earth reaches its farthest point in its yearly trek around the sun. Our seasons are not related to Earth’s distance from the sun. Coincidentally, the moon is at its farthest point from Earth today.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Today (at 5:27 p.m. CDT) Earth reaches its farthest point from the sun in its yearly route.
Our planet’s orbital path is not a perfect circle, but it is slightly elliptical. In the properties of shapes, the eccentricity of a circle is zero. Earth’s orbital eccentricity is 0.017. Only Venus and Neptune have orbital paths that are more circular than Earth.
In the solar system, we measure distances from the sun in Astronomical Units (AU), the earth’s average distance from the sun, 1.0 AU. In round numbers, this is 93 million miles.
Earth’s distance from the sun varies throughout the year, although the difference is small. In January, we reach our closest spot to the sun, known as perihelion. This year that distance was 0.983 AU.
Today at aphelion, the distance is 1.017 AU.
Seasons are from Earth’s tilt. During the warmer months in the northern hemisphere, the sun shines most directly at the northern half of Earth. During the colder months, the sunlight is most directed south of the equator.
The moon has a similar close approach and farthest extreme during its monthly sojourn through its obit. Coincidentally, the moon is at its farthest point today (apogee) at 9:47 a.m. CDT (251,846.9 miles). It is closest (perigee) on July 21 at 5:25 a.m. CDT (226,526.9 miles).
Happy Earth Perihelion Day and Lunar Apogee Day!
Articles and Summaries
- Venus as an Evening Star
- Venus Evening Star (Summary)
- Mars during 2021 (Summary)
LATEST ARTICLES
- 2026, August 6: Summer Midpoint 2026 – Daylight Shortens Across the Northern Hemisphere
August 6, 2026: Summer reaches its midpoint as daylight continues to shorten across the Northern Hemisphere. Compare daylight lengths from Miami and Chicago to Anchorage and Auckland. - 2026, August 5: Moon, Saturn, Mars, Mercury, and Venus
August 5, 2026: Watch the moon separate from Saturn, Mars move beyond Taurus’ horns, Mercury retreat into twilight, and brilliant Venus approach Virgo’s Spica. - 2026, August 4: Look for Four Planets and Moon During Nighttime Hours.
August 4, 2026: Saturn, Mars, Mercury, and Venus are visible. Watch Mars march away from Zeta Tauri, Mercury after greatest elongation, Saturn with the moon, and Venus approaching Spica. - 2026, August 2-5: Waning Moon Passes Saturn Before Sunrise
August 2-5, 2026: Watch the waning moon approach and pass Saturn during morning twilight. Follow the moon’s eastward motion from Pisces’ starfield toward Aries before the Last Quarter phase. - 2026, August 2-5: Mars Passes Between Taurus’ Horns During August Morning Twilight
August 2-5, 2026: Watch Mars march eastward in front of Taurus as it passes between Elnath and Zeta Tauri. Follow the Red Planet’s changing position during morning twilight.