14 July, 2023: The Earth was at its furthest from the Sun on July 7th, 2023. So, why was India hot? Let’s explore the Relationship Between Distance, Tilt, and Temperature. Keep reading to know more!
On July 7th, 2023, the Earth was at its farthest point from the Sun.
The Earth follows an elliptical orbit around the Sun, causing the distance between them to change by approximately 3% throughout the year.
In theory, this would suggest that the Sun would appear smaller in the sky on this day, and the Earth would receive the least amount of radiation from the Sun. However, in practice, the 3% difference in distance is unlikely to result in any significant observable changes.
The Earth follows an elliptical orbit around the Sun
This means that the path of Earth's motion as it revolves around the Sun is not a perfect circle but rather an elongated shape known as an ellipse. An ellipse is a closed curve with two focal points, and the Sun is located at one of these focal points.
In simpler terms, instead of Earth moving in a perfectly circular path around the Sun, its orbit is slightly stretched out. This means that at certain points in its orbit, Earth is closer to the Sun (perihelion), while at other points, it is farther away from the Sun (aphelion).
Aphelion and perihelion are two terms that describe the positions of the Earth in its orbit around the Sun.
Aphelion: This is when the Earth is farthest away from the Sun in its orbit. It's like the Earth is at the outer edge of its path around the Sun. July 6 witnesses a fascinating event known as aphelion, when our planet is farthest from the sun in its annual orbit.
Perihelion: This is when the Earth is closest to the Sun in its orbit. It's like the Earth is at the inner edge of its path around the Sun.
Picture source: NASA
These positions change throughout the year, causing variations in the distance between the Earth and the Sun. However, it's important to note that these changes in distance do not directly cause the seasons. The seasons are primarily determined by the tilt of the Earth's axis.
The elliptical orbit of Earth is due to the gravitational forces exerted by the Sun and other celestial bodies in the solar system. This orbital shape results in variations in the distance between the Earth and the Sun throughout the year, which in turn affects factors like the amount of sunlight and radiation received by the Earth.
The Earth was farthest from the Sun on July 7th, yet, why did we feel so hot?
Earth's temperature is not solely influenced by its distance from the Sun. The primary reason for Earth's seasons is the tilt of its axis, not how close or far it is from the Sun. The tilt affects how sunlight is spread across the planet, which determines temperature changes.
The change from hot to cold seasons, like summer to winter, doesn't happen because of how close or far we are from the Sun. It actually depends on how the Earth is tilted and how it moves around the Sun. That's what makes the seasons change.
Picture source: wikipedia
The Earth is like a spinning top that is a little tilted as it goes around the Sun. Because of this tilt, one part of the Earth gets closer to the Sun for some months, and then the other part gets closer for the rest of the months. That's why we have different seasons like summer and winter. In some countries, like Australia and New Zealand, it's actually warm and sunny during Christmas time because it's summer there! So, the tilt of the Earth makes our seasons change and can make holidays feel different depending on where we live.
According to timeanddate.com, the dates of perihelion and aphelion have been shifting by roughly one day every 58 years since the 13th century as a result of variations in the eccentricity of Earth's orbit.
As per Space.com, depending on the year, the date of perihelion can vary from Jan. 1 to 5 and the date of aphelion can vary from July 2 to July 6.
However, it's important to note that human activities have also contributed to rising temperatures on Earth. The emission of greenhouse gases from human actions has caused an increase in the Earth's overall temperature, leading to climate change.