Earth And Sun, Nearer Today
On Tuesday, at around 12.09 pm, the planet Earth, reach the closest point to Sun, a phenomenon known as Perihelion. Since Earth is on an elliptical orbit, it will be farthest from the Sun on July 4, 2022, which is scientifically known as Aphelion.
The popular perception among people is that the distance between Earth and Sun usually decides the seasons and temperatures in a year. “It’s not true. The axial tilt, which is approximately 23.5 degrees, of Earth on its axis while revolving around the Sun regulates seasons,” explains founder director, Planetary Society, India (PSI) N Sri Raghunandan Kumar.
While people will not be able to notice or observe anything significant involving the celestial event on Tuesday, it definitely holds a lot of education value and provides an opportunity to create awareness among children, says Kumar, adding that the event helps people to understand that seasons on Earth are not dependent on its distance from Sun but the axial tilt during its journey around the Sun.