The Earth will officially reach its furthest point from the Sun on July 3, 2025, at 3:54 pm ET, marking aphelion for this year. This phenomenon occurs due to the planet’s elliptical orbit around the Sun. The closest point is perihelion, which happens in January and will be again on January 3, 2026.
The distance between the Earth’s center and the Sun’s center varies throughout the year, with a maximum of approximately 152 million kilometers at aphelion. This variation affects the amount of solar radiation the planet receives, making it about 6.8% greater in January than it will be at aphelion.
Despite its proximity to solstices, the Earth’s distance from the Sun has no direct impact on seasons. Instead, the tilt of the planet plays a crucial role in determining the seasons. As the Northern Hemisphere points towards the Sun, it experiences summer, while the Southern Hemisphere receives winter.
Aphelion and perihelion occur due to natural cycles that shift their dates over time. The Earth’s orbit changes shape every 58 years, influenced by gravitational forces from Jupiter and Saturn. This Milankovitch cycle causes the planet’s orbit to become more circular, resulting in varying seasonal lengths.
Interestingly, the year’s length remains constant despite changes in the orbit. However, the shifting seasons are affected due to the planet’s position within its orbit. Currently, summer in the Northern Hemisphere is about 4.66 days longer than winter, and spring is 2.9 days longer than autumn.
Source: https://www.iflscience.com/on-july-3-earth-will-reach-its-farthest-point-from-the-sun-152-million-kilometers-away-79848