Perhelion

Hot things feel hotter the closer you get to them, right?

Not so with our hottest object, the sun. Planet Earth has an elliptical orbit around the sun, and it is closest to it at the beginning of each year. This year, perhelion - the day that we’re closest to the sun - fell on January 2.

So why is it so cold? Our seasons are determined by the tilt of the Earth. During the winter, the northern hemisphere is tilted away from the sun. We don’t have as much direct sunlight as during the summer.

The next time the sun is out, reflect on the big ball of burning gas, shining a mere 91.5 million miles away.

Curious to know more sun facts? One of our favorite book series is written by Stacy McAnulty and illustrated by Stevie Lewis. They give each celestial body a distinct personality and make these narrative non-fiction books amazing! Check out Sun, One in a Billion to get your fill.