Earth reaches its farthest point from the sun today, Monday… 152 million kilometers separate it from the sun.

At 8:30 pm on Monday, the Earth will reach what is known astronomically as “aphelion,” which is its farthest distance from the sun during its annual rotation, according to what was confirmed by the head of the Jordanian Astronomical Society, Ammar Al-Sakaji.

Al-Sakji explained that the distance between the Earth and the Sun at this moment is about 152 million kilometers, while the Earth's orbital speed decreases to about 29.3 kilometers per second.

Why don't temperatures decrease despite the Earth being farther from the sun?

Al-Sakji stressed that the Earth reaching its farthest point from the sun does not mean a decrease in temperatures in the northern hemisphere, as some believe.

He explained that the real reason behind the succession of seasons is the tilt of the Earth's axis by 23.5 degrees, and not the distance between the Earth and the sun.

Elliptical orbit controls the distance between the Earth and the Sun

The Earth revolves around the Sun in an elliptical (oval-shaped) orbit, which causes the distance between them to change throughout the year.

The Earth reaches its closest point, “perihelion,” in early January, while it reaches its farthest point, “aphelion,” in early July of each year.

An astronomical phenomenon reveals a common misconception

Al-Sakaji pointed out that the phenomenon of solar apogee is a scientific opportunity to correct a common misconception, which is linking the heat of the seasons to the Earth's proximity to or distance from the sun.

He stressed that the angle of the sun's rays and the length of the day are the two main factors in determining temperatures and climatic seasons.