(91.4 million miles) from the Sun. This is about 5 million kilometers closer than during (the farthest point), which occurs in early July. The Old Farmer’s Almanac Radiation Intensity: The Earth receives about 7% more solar energy in January than in July because of this closer proximity. Sun's Size: The Sun appears roughly 3.4% larger

To understand why Earth has a closest point, you must first understand that Earth’s orbit is not a perfect circle.

The exact time shifts due to:

Earth is closest to the Sun every year in early January, typically around January 2nd to 5th. This astronomical event is called , a term derived from the Greek words peri (near) and helios (Sun).